Of 891 delegates to the emergency meeting of the Nationalist Party, also known as the Kuomintang or KMT, 812 voted to repeal the candidacy of Hung Hsiu-chu, according to a statement posted on the party’s website.
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Taiwan’s ruling Nationalist Party has dumped its unpopular presidential candidate less than three months ahead of an election that the pro-independence opposition is widely favored to win.
Hung’s nomination in July formed Taiwan’s first presidential race between female candidates from the two major parties.
Hung Hsiu-chu who has traditionally taken a pro-unification stance, won the party ticket after a meteoric rise at a time when other senior figures were unwilling to step up to the plate. He apologized to Hung and to the citizens of New Taipei City where he is also the mayor and said the KMT party had to make this decision because it was a key moment for Taiwan.
Party chairman Eric Chu is now widely expected to lead the Kuomintang into an uphill battle in January’s elections to elect the 14th President, Vice President and members of the 9th Legislative Yuan.
Chu will still find it hard to overtake Tsai, but party members hope with him leading the election charge, the Nationalists will have a better shot at winning enough legislative seats in the 113-seat parliament to have a significant voice in the lawmaking agenda.
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Talks between the sides have been based on the Nationalists’ acceding to Beijing’s demand that Taiwan and China be seen as part of the same country, something the DPP has refused to do.
