Taipei, May 25 (CNA) Opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen said Tuesday that the party aims to sweep the five year-end special municipalities elections because the people of Taiwan deserve good governance.
All five of the party's candidates for the special municipality elections attended a party rally to officially confirm their candidacies, two days after Tsai's landslide win for a second term and her widely expected announcement that she will run for the post of mayor of Xinbei City.
"The people of Taiwan deserve -- and have the right -- to ask for good governance, which has not been the case in the last two years, "Tsai told party members, saying that the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou has led Taiwan into dire financial straits, a confidence crisis and a gradual loss of sovereignty to China.
Tsai said her party has decided to recommend its best talent in the key elections, which she said will have a huge impact on Taiwan's future. She expressed confidence that the DPP will win all five elections.
The November municipality elections will take place in Taipei City and Xinbei City (an upgraded Taipei County) as well as in Tainan (a merger of Tainan city and county), Taichung (a merger of Taichung city and county) , and Kaohsiung (a merger of Kaohsiung city and county).
Incumbent Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu, former Premier Su Tseng-chang and Legislator William Lai are the DPP candidates for the races in Kaohsiung, Taipei and Tainan, respectively, while DPP Secretary-General Su Jia-chyuan will run in the Taichung mayoral election.
The KMT announced its candidates May 11. The incumbent mayors of Taichung and Taipei, Jason Hu and Hau Lung-bin, will run in Taichung and Taipei, while former Deputy Premier Eric Liluan Chu will run in Xinbei City. Legislator Huang Chao-shun and former lawmaker Kuo Tien-Tsai will run in Kaohsiung and Tainan, respectively. (By Chris Wang) ENDITEM/J