TAIPEI : Taiwan Premier Frank Hsieh has offered to resign to
take responsibility for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's
(DPP) defeat in weekend local elections, cabinet spokesman Chuo
Jung-tai has said.
"The premier tendered his oral resignation when he reported to
President Chen Shui-bian last night," Chuo said Sunday, adding that
the premier made the same offer again Sunday.
But Chen has not decided whether to accept his resignation, saying
that "at this moment, priority should be given to political
stability," the president was quoted as saying by Chuo.
Su Chen-chang Saturday resigned as DPP chairman after it won less
than 42 percent of the vote compared to the almost 51 percent
secured by the opposition Kuomintang party (KMT) on Saturday.
The KMT won 14 of the 23 posts up for grabs, against only six for
the DPP.
Compounding the damage for Chen and the ruling party, which faces
presidential elections in 2008, the nationalist KMT won traditional
DPP strongholds such as Taipei county, Ilan county and Chiayi
city.
