The Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) grip on executive and legislative power may have rearranged the political landscape, but there is one thing that persists even after President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) comfortable election victory last year, and that is the remarkable lack of leadership potential in the party.
With cross-strait affairs dominated by old-guard hardliners such as former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and the most visible of KMT legislators continuing to trade in defamation, rumor-mongering and the lamest of banalities, there is precious little genuine talent on show in national politics.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has its own problems, of course. The top concern for the party should not so much be its depleted legislative caucus as the quality of the remaining legislators.
Recent decades have shown that the next generation of leaders in both parties requires “blooding” in the form of management of a major city or county government. Recent elections, for example, saw DPP headquarters fail to give its brightest stars enough support on the ground to start them along this track. Consequently, some of the DPP’s best performers are languishing in compensatory party posts with worsening prospects of reentering electoral politics.
The KMT need not be so concerned for the moment about internal challenges to its leadership, given that the focus on cross-strait detente will continue to maintain Lien and other hardliners’ influence at party headquarters.
The leadership of President Ma, as weak as it appears, is rendered less vulnerable by a lack of candidates who can appeal to a wide range of grassroots KMT members and the general public. If Ma can learn to present more spine — especially on economic matters as the global gloom worsens — he should be able to withstand any party challenger that might emerge before the next election.
In the longer term, Taoyuan County Commissioner Chu Li-lun (朱立倫) is an attractive candidate who appeals to a broader range of voters.
Also of interest, however, is KMT Legislator and caucus deputy secretary-general Lo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾), who is shaping up as a rare commodity for the KMT.
She is willing and able to speak up on contentious matters with a reasoned and moderate stance, and in so doing can increase her credibility among voters on both sides of the divide.
Lo is the first accountant to be elected to the legislature, and has adeptly attacked wasteful use of resources by the executive, supported humanitarian visas for Tibetans and others and taken a surprising line that acknowledges the ongoing anger of victims of the 228 Incident.
While her association with the People First Party (PFP) and participation in the cult-like anti-Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) “red shirt” rallies do not lend her credibility, in key moments of legislative activity she has exhibited leadership potential rather than spew bile, muck-rake or act as a party automaton.
It will be interesting to see where her political career takes her, and indeed whether her PFP background can withstand some of her colleagues’ resentment, which has already begun to materialize.
This is certain, however: Lo’s late entry into politics, professional expertise and PFP background will help to open up debate within the KMT as it struggles to convince skeptics that it respects diversity and dissenting voices.
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