Party chairman joins KMT boss in vowing to resign if party fails in today's elections
Taiwan's local elections will see at least one party leader booted out after today's polls, which are being seen as a pointer to the 2008 presidential vote.
Su Tseng-chang, chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, put his political future on the line yesterday by vowing to resign if his party suffered an electoral defeat, just one day after his Kuomintang counterpart, Ma Ying-jeou, made a similar vow.
About 13 million voters are expected to cast their ballots from 8am at 12,000 polling stations across the island, with 76 candidates vying for the 23 city mayor and county magistrate posts, as well as a handful of other candidates competing for local council and township posts.
'If the DPP fails to secure 10 seats in the elections, it will be a serious setback,' Mr Su said yesterday. 'I believe the opposition will become even more outrageous and this will send a wrong signal to China, resulting in an even more chaotic situation in Taiwan.
'Being the chairman of the party, I must resign to take the responsibility.'
Mr Ma, who is also Taipei mayor, on Thursday said he would resign if the KMT failed to win 11 seats. The KMT now holds nine.
