Taiwan premier Sean Chen's resignation seen as a bonus for Ma
Finance veteran has taken the brunt of public anger over flailing economy and his departure may help president salvage his second term
Taiwanese Premier Sean Chen has resigned in a move analysts say should help salvage the sagging popularity of the island's leader, Ma Ying-jeou, amid lingering economic woes and growing public disillusion with his government.
It would also help prevent Ma, whose second four-year term ends in 2016, from becoming a lame duck too soon, they said.
Chen, a veteran finance official before becoming premier last February, said yesterday he had submitted his resignation to Ma and the president had approved it on Monday.
He said he was resigning for health reasons. "There are no conspiracy theories involved in my decision to tender my resignation," he said, referring to reports by some Taiwanese media that Ma had been unhappy with Chen's handling of the sagging economy.
Chen said a medical check had led he and his family to decide he had to "completely change my life and work style to reverse the situation".
Chen has come under fire from opposition lawmakers and the public for failing to tackle long-term economic woes.
In the past year, Ma's popularity rating has slipped to 13 per cent - even worse than the 18 per cent of his predecessor, Chen Shui-bian, who was jailed for corruption. Some analysts said Ma's low popularity was one of the reasons for Chen's resignation.
