TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former premier Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃) publicly appealed for William Lai (賴清德) to stay on as premier today (Jan. 2).

Yu commented that switching premiers a month after the election “fiasco” would be bad for Taiwan, the DPP, and Lai himself.

The former politician said in a Facebook post today that he is unable to let go of concerns for Taiwan’s future.

As the U.S.-China trade war is in full swing, he wrote, it is a crucial time to bring Taiwanese businesses and investment back to the island. Lai’s track record in government is excellent, and sticking to a seasoned professional is the best current policy, he added.

Yu said all DPP candidates who were not successful in the elections are talented people whose support should be more relied upon. The party must undergo some self-reflection to avoid misunderstanding the outcome, he stated.

The DPP suffered a heavy defeat in November’s local elections, losing seven out of the 13 seats it attained in 2014 including Kaohsiung City (高雄市), formerly considered a DPP stronghold. Lai tendered his resignation to Tsai Ing-wen as soon as poll results came in, but later rescinded his pledge after a discussion with the president.

Observers still believe Lai is likely to resign in January, but the premier has not yet announced a clear decision. He remained tight-lipped at an end-of-year press conference on Dec. 28.

Several reports have slated Su Tseng-cheng (蘇貞昌)—former premier between 2006 and 2007 and co-founder of the DPP—as the next premier, but the Office of the President has remained silent on speculation.