TAIPEI (TVBS News) — As the Legislative Yuan prepares to elect its new speaker and deputy speaker, the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) announced on Wednesday (Jan. 31) its endorsement of party member Huang Shan-shan for the top legislative position.
The decision, marking a significant shift in Taiwan's political landscape, comes amid the TPP's commitment to presenting a new political ethos.
New Leadership on the Horizon
Huang Kuo-chang, a legislator-at-large for the TPP, articulated the party's unified stance, revealing, "After eight members of our party caucus met yesterday to discuss the matter, it was unanimously decided that we will nominate caucus member Huang Shan-shan."
If Huang secures the position in the first round of voting, the TPP views it as a national blessing. However, should the first round not yield a speaker, the party's eight legislative members will abstain from the second round. In such a scenario, the TPP will not nominate a candidate for deputy speaker, planning a further meeting to discuss the situation.
A New Path for Taiwan's Politics
Huang Shan-shan herself emphasized the party's vision for Taiwan's future, stating, "I'm going to run for speaker of the legislature on behalf of the Taiwan People's Party. This is not just about walking our own path, it's also about leading Taiwanese society to a new path of civicism."
Ko Wen-je, chairman of the TPP, further underscored the party's determination to redefine Taiwanese politics.
"We don't want to be faux-KMT or faux-DPP. We want to represent a new face of politics in Taiwan," he said.
Ko highlighted the need for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership to introspectively consider how to engage with this emerging political force.
Meanwhile, the KMT legislative caucus expressed its readiness to cooperate with the TPP, envisioning a robust and principled opposition to the DPP's dominance, a sentiment echoed by the TPP's commitment to steadfastly uphold its ideals.