Stung by Vote, Taiwan Premier May Resign

The ruling Nationalist Party, stung by a poor showing in Taiwan’s first fully democratic legislative elections, was caught up in political turmoil Monday, with Premier Hau Pei-tsun saying he is willing to resign.

Hau, 73, expressed hope that Taiwan “will have an environment of political and social stability,” despite political reforms that have weakened the Nationalists’ once-unchallengeable grip on power.

“ ‘Stability’ definitely does not mean that I must continue to be premier,” Hau said at a public meeting Monday. “It is not important whether or not I am premier. . . . For political stability, what is important is that we must strengthen our system.”

Hau’s comments came in the wake of Saturday balloting in which the opposition Democratic Progressive Party captured 50 seats in the 161-member Legislative Yuan. The Nationalists won 96 seats, retaining control but losing the overwhelming domination they have enjoyed for decades.

Six more seats were won by candidates who have been Nationalists but broke party discipline to run as independents. The opposition won 31% of the vote, compared with an unexpectedly poor showing of 53% for the ruling party.

Vice Premier Shih Chi-yang, speaking Monday afternoon, said that Hau and his Cabinet would resign. A date has not been set, he told reporters. “The ruling party must review its policies,” Shih added, according to a report by the Nationalist Party-controlled Central News Agency.

It would be possible for Hau to resign as premier and then be immediately reappointed to the post by President Lee Teng-hui in a bid to ensure party unity.

But Lee might be pleased to have the chance to replace Hau, who has faced severe criticism not only from the opposition but also from the ruling party’s more liberal members.

Hau is a conservative former general who was among those who fled from the Chinese mainland to Taiwan in 1949, when the Nationalist government moved to Taipei after losing a civil war to the Communists. He heads the Nationalist Party’s more conservative wing, made up primarily of members with mainland roots.

Lee, a native-born Taiwanese with centrist political views, heads a more moderate or liberal faction within the party that is made up mainly of Taiwan-born members.

James Soong, the Nationalists’ secretary general, has already offered to resign to take responsibility for the party’s poor showing. Lee, who is also party chairman, met Soong on Monday and asked him to continue in his post, party spokesman James Chu said.

Jaw Shao-kang, a popular Nationalist figure who broke party ranks to run as an independent and then came in with the highest vote count of any candidate, said Sunday that Soong and the party had erred by nominating too many wealthy candidates with close business ties.

It appeared Monday that Soong might resign despite Lee’s request for him to stay. He is “physically and emotionally fatigued and determined to resign,” party spokesman Chu said.