Tue, Sep 15, 2020 page3

• KMT begins preparations for the 2022 local elections

  • By Shih Hsiao-kuang / Staff reporter
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  Following its national congress on Sept. 6, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has begun preparations for the 2022 local elections.

  The KMT is seeking re-election in New Taipei City, Taichung and Chiayi, as well as Hsinchu, Changhua, Yunlin, Yilan, Hualien, Taitung, Penghu and Kinmen counties, said a party source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

  The party would conduct early satisfaction surveys for the mayors and commissioners of those municipalities to see which regions need reinforcement, the source said on Sunday.

  

  Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Organizational Development Committee director Lee Che-hua speaks at the party’s national congress in Taipei on Sept. 6.

  Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times

  The terms of office of the Lienchiang, Miaoli and Nantou county commissioners are to end in 2022, and it remains to be seen who would “take over,” the source said.

  Among the eight municipalities that the KMT does not govern, the pan-blue camp has a “good chance” of winning in Taipei, Taoyuan, Keelung and Hsinchu, the source added.

  However, due to its role as the nominating body, it would not be suitable for the KMT’s central body to decide who is to represent the party in the mayoral elections in those cities, they said, adding that the KMT would encourage party members to compete for the nomination and then select the best candidate based on poll results.

  In Kaohsiung, where the KMT lost a mayoral by-election on Aug. 15, KMT Organizational Development Committee director Lee Che-hua (李哲華) has reportedly begun reassembling KMT city councilors.

  Besides the resignation of the KMT’s Kaohsiung City Council caucus convener, several city councilors have also left an online chat group, Lee said on Sunday.

  Now that he is committee director again, Lee said that he would hold a caucus meeting before the council opens next month and invite city councilors to a meal to elect a caucus convener, and confirm the candidates for the new head of the KMT’s Kaohsiung chapter.

  The KMT is also expected to hold elections for party chairperson and party representatives, as well as for party Central Committee and Central Standing Committee members, next year.

  The KMT’s 20th party representatives and chairperson elections were held in May 2017, but then-chairman-elect Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) did not take office until August, sparking criticism from within the party that the transition period was too long.

  Then-outgoing KMT chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) had planned to hand over the position to Wu in June, but Central Standing Committee members aligned with Wu raised legal doubts over a handover before a national congress was held, and insisted that Wu take office on the day of the congress.

  If the KMT holds its national congress and chairperson inaugural ceremony in late August or early September next year, then voting for the party’s next chairperson and representatives could take place in early or mid-August, party sources said.
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