Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has resigned as head of the governing Democratic Progressive Party after its poor showing in local elections. The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) won several major races on Saturday, including in the capital Taipei. The vote has drawn global attention as Taiwan becomes a bigger geopolitical flashpoint between China and the US.
President Tsai had framed the election as a vote for democracy amid rising tensions with China.
“The election results were not as expected… I should shoulder all the responsibility and I resign as DPP chairwoman immediately,” Ms Tsai, who will continue as president of the self-ruled island, told reporters.
The elections for local councils and city mayors theoretically have a domestic focus, covering issues such as crime, housing and social welfare, and those elected will not have a direct say on Taiwan’s policy regarding China.
However, Ms Tsai and government officials urged voters to use the elections to send a message about standing up for democracy, as Beijing increases pressure on the island.
Voters also rejected lowering the voting age from 20 to 18, in a referendum that was run alongside the local elections.
Credit: bbc.com
