Taiwan by-election first of many challenges for new DPP chairman
- Cho Jung-tai vows to hit the ground running and never forget ‘the day that almost led to the fall of the party’
The newly elected chairman of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, Cho Jung-tai, vowed to hit the ground running after he was officially sworn in on Wednesday, admitting there was no time to lose.
His most urgent task is to lead the ruling party’s campaign for two legislative by-elections on January 27, the first test for the DPP since its crushing defeat in November’s local government polls.
Cho replaces Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen, who resigned from the party leadership immediately after the November election, when the mainland-friendly opposition Kuomintang (KMT) won 15 of the self-ruled island’s 22 cities and counties, including Kaohsiung, the pro-independence stronghold in the south.
“We must never forget November 24 because it was the day that almost led to the fall of the party,” Cho said after the swearing-in ceremony.
“We will need to immediately deal with the legislative by-election to be held later this month.”
