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President Chen resigns as DPP chairman (update)

ROC Central News Agency

2008-01-12 22:35:35
(adds quotes and other details)

    Taipei, Jan. 12 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian announced his resignation as chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Saturday after the party suffered humiliating losses in the legislative elections.

    Acknowledging the just-concluded election as the "gravest electoral defeat in the party's history", Chen said he should step down from party chairmanship without any excuse. "I should shoulder all and full responsibilities, " Chen said. "I am resigning now as DPP chairman. I feel really apologetic and shamed."

    Chen said he expects that a new party chairman will be selected at an extraordinary meeting of the DPP Central Standing Committee next Monday.

    Meanwhile, Chen congratulated the main opposition Kuomintang for its landsilde election victory, which won an overwhelming majority of 81 seats in the 113-seat legislature, compared to only 27 seats for the DPP, according to initial election returns. Two other parties and one independent candidate won the other five seats.

    Chen nonetheless expressed his heartfelt gratitude for voters who cast ballots for DPP legislative candidates and the DPP in the legislative elections.

    The DPP got 13 regional seats and garnered 36.91 percent of the total political party ballots cast to allow it to gain 14 at-large seats, which brought its total seats won to 27.

    Noting that the party will face even greater and tougher challenges in the upcoming presidential election on March 22, Chen said he is hopeful that all party members and supporters will not be disheartened or demoralized by Saturday's setback. "We must stand united and reinvent ourself to take on new challenge ahead, " Chen said, adding that the party will redouble efforts to win back voter support under the leadership of the party's standard bear for the March 22 presidential election, Frank Hsieh.

(By Sofia Wu)

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