Taiwanese cabinet resigns amid political turmoil

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
19 Jan 23:10

The resignation coincides with the crushing defeat of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in the local elections in November.

Premier Su Tseng-chang of Taiwan's Executive Yuan studies bullets while attending a news conference unveiling the largest smuggling bullet case in the history of Taiwan in Taipei, November 9, 2020. (Reuters)

Prior to a widely anticipated government reshuffle, Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang and his cabinet submitted their resignation to President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday. However, there was no news of a succeeding cabinet.

The resignation of Tsu's government comes as Taiwan prepares for presidential and parliamentary elections in early 2024. It had also coincided with the crushing defeat of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the local elections in November.

Su claimed in a Facebook post that he had encouraged Tsai to name a new cabinet so that she might bring in fresh faces. In a different statement, Cabinet Spokesperson Lo Ping-cheng stated that Su and his cabinet will formally resign once the president had decided on their successors.

Su first attempted to resign following the defeat in the November elections, but Tsai persuaded him to hold off. Recently, the successor government has been the most heated debate in Taiwanese media.

Su, who had been the Premier since 2019, is notorious for his snappy remarks and playful social media persona. He is also known for being critical of China, notably branding Beijing as an "evil neighbor" last August as they conducted war exercises near the island, following the US provocative visits to the island.