Taiwan premier resigns after defeat in local polls
Iran Press TV
Sat Nov 29, 2014 2:38PM GMT
Taiwan's Prime Minister Jiang Yi-huah has stepped down following a serious setback suffered by his pro-China ruling party in the country's largest ever local polls.
Jiang announced his resignation on Saturday at a brief press conference, noting that he took "political responsibility" for the Kuomintang (KMT) party's heavy losses.
He added that President Ma Ying-jeou had accepted his resignation.
"The public has not been satisfied with the government's performance, and that was reflected in the results of the vote. So I have decided to assume political responsibility and tendered my resignation, which has been approved by President Ma," he said.
According to unofficial results, the KMT lost in five out of Taiwan's six municipalities.
The ruling party has faced economic problems, a spate of food scandals and growing opposition to Taipei's China-friendly policies.
Taiwan has 18 million people eligible to take part in elections, while a record 11,130 seats at every level of local government are up for grabs.
Before the local votes on Saturday, the KMT dominated 15 of Taiwan's 22 cities and counties, while the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) held seven.
"Many young people are concerned about job prospects and high housing prices so I hope to see change and new thinking in the government to make things better for us," Mark Hsu, a graduate student, said outside a polling station in the capital, Taipei, after casting his vote.
The polls are seen as a key test ahead of Taiwan's 2016 presidential election.
China is the biggest trading partner of Taiwan. Ties between the two countries have improved over the past few years since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou came to power in 2008.
MR/HJL/SS
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