By Chris Wang / Staff reporter in GREATER TAICHUNG
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) would have an opportunity to “turn the tables” on the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in the seven-in-one elections next year, DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday as the party celebrated its 27th anniversary in Greater Taichung.
“The DPP wants more than to just win in central Taiwan. We aim to win in all constituencies in mayoral, township chief and councilor elections,” Su told supporters at the anniversary celebration ceremony, which was held at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Greater Taichung.
The party has high hopes for achieving electoral success in the central Taiwan constituencies of Taichung, Nantou County and Changhua County, which was why it held a four-day celebration in the region, considered to be a battleground that could ultimately determine the outcome of the municipal elections next year.
Many have started to question the KMT’s governance in the region, with corruption scandals revealed in Nantou and Changhua counties, Su said.
Former DPP chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) described next year’s elections as “critical moments” for the DPP to help society move forward and save the nation from the Ma administration’s poor governance and abuse of power, as well as a backsliding democracy.
“What happened in Dapu Borough (大埔), Miaoli County and the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮), New Taipei City (新北市), taught us that the current administration is no longer able to handle issues involving the public’s core values,” Tsai said.
The party, established on Sept. 28, 1986, sought to highlight its history and its promotion of the anti-nuclear movement with exhibitions near the ceremony.
Hundreds of supporters attended the ceremony, which included musical performances by local groups and a carnival with about 100 food stalls.