TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The TPP will vote for new leadership in the next couple of weeks, following its former leader Ko Wen-je's (柯文哲) resignation on Jan. 1, Nikkei Asia reported Wednesday.
The news comes as Ko, who founded the party in 2019, has been caught in a slew of scandals. He faces bribery charges connected to real estate dealings when he was Taipei mayor and embezzling funds during his presidential campaign last year.
The TPP will vote for a new leader on Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the results to be announced four days later. The winner is likely to hold considerable influence, as the TPP has eight lawmakers who act as swing votes in an opposition coalition with the KMT.
At the top of the list of candidates are Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), a former student activist and legal scholar, and Tsai Pi-ru (蔡壁如), Ko’s colleague when he was a surgeon.
Huang, who is TPP acting chair, rose to prominence during the Sunflower Movement in 2014, when protestors opposed the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement during former President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration. He then led the progressive New Power Party from 2015 to 2019.
However, Huang has pushed the TPP closer to the KMT, the party he once opposed. He has also been critical of President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), even accusing the government of persecuting Ko.
“Taiwan's third force is a hard-earned flame that is crucial to the future development of Taiwan's democracy and must never be extinguished,” Huang said in a Facebook post declaring his bid for party leader. He added that the party should restrain the government’s expanded power and speak on behalf of the people.
Tsai, a founding member of the TPP, served as Ko’s chief of staff when he was mayor. She was previously a lawmaker but resigned after her master’s degree was revoked over alleged plagiarism, a claim she denies.
Tsai said in a Facebook post that her goal is to rally support and unite the TPP. She said she would start discussions with the KMT to cooperate in the 2026 local elections if elected.
