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Taiwan votes for city mayors, ruling party on trial
2006-12-09
Voters in Taiwan's two biggest cities elect new mayors on Saturday, with President Chen Shui-bian's independence-leaning party at risk of losing both races after corruption scandals that have swirled for months. A drubbing for Chen's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) would help the pro-China Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT), ahead of parliamentary elections next year and a presidential poll in 2008, potentially helping to warm ties with Beijing. Beijing reviles Chen for rejecting its claim of sovereignty over the self-ruled island and asserting Taiwan's identity. The KMT is expected to win the mayor's race in its traditional stronghold in the capital, Taipei, which is widely seen as a stepping stone for presidential hopefuls. But the real contest will be in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, where the scandals that have dogged Chen, his family and aides threatens to undermine support for the DPP in its very heartland. Polling stations will be open from 8 a.m. (0000 GMT) to 4 p.m. in Taipei, a city of 2.6 million people with 2 million eligible voters, and Kaohsiung, which has a population of 1.6 million, including 1.1 million voters. Six candidates will vie for Taipei mayor, with the Nationalists' Hau Lung-bin, a former environment minister, leading in recent polls, followed by the DPP's Frank Hsieh, ex-premier and former Kaohsiung mayor. Five contenders are seeking votes in Kaohsiung, with a closer fight expected between the DPP's Chen Chu, a former chairwoman of the Council of Labour Affairs and the Nationalists' Huang Chun-ying, a former deputy mayor. Scandals implicating Chen's family members and aides have plunged the DPP into its worst crisis since its founding 20 years ago, while the Nationalists have been trying to regain power after losing the presidential elections in 2000 and 2004. The Chinese-language United Daily News said in an editorial on Friday that the DPP would have to decide whether it should distance itself from President Chen Shui-bian after the election. "The reform faction within the DPP will want to try and break free from the whirlpool surrounding Chen Shui-bian," the newspaper said. "They will only be able to lead Taiwan out of this mess if they can make a clean break."
Taiwan remains polarised after key mayoral races (2006-12-11)Taiwan court seals ballot boxes amid election dispute (2006-12-11)Taiwan votes for city mayors, ruling party on trial (2006-12-09)Taiwan mayor polls seen as test for ruling party (2006-11-26)Taiwan premier to follow Chen's tough China tack (2006-01-25)
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