TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Democratic Progressive Party legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) announced Friday that he will run in the party’s caucus whip election.
Ker’s decision comes after failed recall efforts against Kuomintang legislators sparked internal calls for him to step down, per Newtalk. While that pressure ultimately subsided, Ker recently said he would not seek re-election to the legislature in 2028, though he did not clarify whether he intended to continue as caucus whip.
Traditionally, DPP caucus leadership posts, including whip positions, are negotiated among party factions and rarely involve open lobbying during caucus elections.
DPP Legislative Caucus Director Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) said Monday the party values anyone willing to serve in caucus leadership, per ETtoday. Asked whether he supported Ker remaining as whip, Chung said he could work with any caucus whip.
Opposition within the party, however, has become more vocal. DPP lawmaker Wang Shih-chien (王世堅) urged Ker to step aside, saying President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) has repeatedly signaled the need for generational turnover, per Newtalk. Wang called on Ker to hand the position to younger DPP lawmakers.
KMT lawmaker Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) also weighed in, saying attention is focused on whether Lai can replace Ker, per China Times. She argued that if Ker retains the post, it could represent another blow to Lai’s political authority.
Some DPP factions argue that with the opposition holding an advantage in the legislature, the party needs Ker’s experience and negotiating skills to navigate a divided political landscape, per Tai Sounds. Others say the party should cultivate successors and prepare for a post-Ker era in the caucus.
Former Deputy Legislative Speaker Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) has been floated as a possible successor and has been praised for his broad connections and evenhanded approach. Lai’s New Tide faction and former President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) faction are reportedly supportive of Tsai, while the faction aligned with former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) appears to have scaled back its backing of Ker.
Tsai has not formally declared his candidacy but has said he would take on the role if needed. Many within the DPP believe Tsai is unlikely to challenge Ker directly if Ker insists on running.
Political commentator Huang Yang-ming (黃揚明) said Ker’s political prospects have improved following the reemergence of former Taiwan People’s Party Chair Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), per Storm Media. Huang said Ker is among the few DPP figures capable of engaging in dialogue with the TPP through Ko.
Huang said the approach of the 2026 local elections could alter legislative dynamics, increasing the influence of the TPP’s eight seats. He added that Ker could play a key role in negotiations if the TPP fields a candidate for deputy legislative speaker.
