The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says it will recruit Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai to run for Kaohsiung mayor in a by-election scheduled for August 15.
Former Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu, an opposition KMT member, was recalled in a vote that saw nearly 940,000 residents vote to remove him from office.
A DPP official said on Tuesday the party has reached a consensus that Chen is the only person on the table.
Rumor has it that Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai will step down on Wednesday to run for Kaohsiung mayor in a by-election. The veteran politician was defeated by his KMT rival Han Kuo-yu in the Kaohsiung mayoral race in November 2018. Chen had won 45% of the vote.
Chen’s upcoming departure has prompted a flurry of speculation over his successor. Possible candidates include the ever-popular Health Minister Chen Shih-chung, Economics Minister Shen Jong-chin, former Culture Minister Cheng Li-chiun, and former DPP Chairman Cho Jung-tai.
DPP lawmaker Ho Chih-wei said the health and economics ministers are both a good choice. After all, he said COVID-19 containment and boosting the economy are both a priority.