Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou Faces Daunting Challenges in KMT Leadership

Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's victory in the first direct election for the party chairmanship of the Kuomintang (KMT) has brought about significant changes in the party's leadership. After defeating Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, Ma faces several pressing challenges, including the re-election of the party central standing committee members and streamlining the party workforce. Additionally, the upcoming year-end city and county chief elections will test the strength of the "pan-blue alliance" of the KMT and its ally, the People First Party.

Key Takeaways:

Ma faces a daunting task in reforming the KMT central standing committee, with over half of its members supporting his defeated rival.
Ma has prioritized streamlining the party workforce by cutting 1,700 members of staff, a process he aims to complete as soon as possible.
The KMT has a good chance of retaining its seats in cities and counties currently headed by the "pan-blue alliance" and potentially ending the DPP's 16-year dominance in Taipei County.
Ma plans to focus on city and county chief elections, targeting 17 contested seats, with the goal of retaining current "pan-blue alliance" seats and gaining new ones.
Ma has expressed a willingness to visit China after his term as city mayor expires in 2006, but only if it is necessary and beneficial to Taiwan.
Finding ways to lead the party in a new wave of personnel changes, power restructuring, and upgrading of the party's competitiveness will be crucial for Ma's success in the 2008 presidential election.

Statistics:

1,700: The number of party workforce members that Ma plans to cut.
17: The number of contested seats in city and county chief elections that the KMT aims to win.
16 years: The Democrats Progressive Party's (DPP) dominance in Taipei County that the KMT hopes to end.
2006: The year in which Ma's term as city mayor expires, after which he may visit China.

Sources:

CNA a 18-07 1452