Taiwan KMT’s Eric Chu Has a Big Job Ahead

 KMT Chairman Eric Chu ( “Llchu” by 邱鈺鋒 Wikimedia)

                             by David Parmer

The KMT chairman, Eric Chu has his work cut out for him. Chu was elected chairman on January 19, 2015 to replace Ma Ying-jeou who stepped down to take responsibility for the KMT’s crushing defeat in the November 2014 elections. Chu, the popular mayor of New Taipei City, has three major tasks ahead of him. First he must reform the KMT, next he must bring back the voters, particularly young people, and finally, he must prepare the party for elections in 2016. This is no small task given the anti-KMT sentiment expressed by the voters in November 2014 that saw the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) victorious in almost all electoral districts.

Some commentators saw the KMT defeat as a referendum on President Ma’s cross Straits policy, but most observers believe that the dissatisfaction had to do more with issues like the gap between rich and poor, no trickle down of benefits from increased trade with the PRC, wage stagnation and high real-estate prices.

Chu has not ruled out running for president, but indicates that “unity and reform” of the KMT are his priorities now. Elections are scheduled for early 2016, so there is less than a year for him to create a turnaround of the KMT’s fortunes. The job is there and it is huge-and maybe even impossible. Is Eric Chu the man for the job? The answers will not be long in coming.