VICE PRESIDENT LU HSIU-LIEN NAMED ACTING DPP PARTY

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 004818

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2015
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: VICE PRESIDENT LU HSIU-LIEN NAMED ACTING DPP PARTY
CHAIRMAN

Classified By: AIT Acting Director David Keegan, Reasons:
1.4 (b/d)


1. (U) Immediately following the December 7 meeting of the
DPP Central Standing Committee (CSC),a beaming Vice
President Lu Hsiu-lien announced to the media that the CSC
had unexpectedly selected her by consensus to serve as Acting
DPP Party Chairman to fill temporarily the vacancy left by Su
Tseng-chang, who resigned to take responsibility for the

SIPDIS
outcome of the December 3 local elections.


2. (C) DPP Director of International Affairs and Legislator
Bi-Khim Hsiao told AIT that she was surprised by the proposal
to nominate Lu, which came from CSC member and Legislator
Trong Chai (Tsai Tung-jung). Lu will serve only until a new
chairman is elected in January, Hsiao said. At its December
14 meeting the CSC will pass the outline plan for the
election of the new chairman, which should take place in
mid-January, prior to the Lunar New Year holiday.

Comment
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3. (C) Vice President Lu has a reputation for being
unpredictable and outspoken and has generally been sidelined
by President Chen. Prior to the December 3 local elections,
she predicted openly that the DPP would not do well, and
afterwards she announced that she and the president both had
responsibility for the election reverses. Although a
potential 2008 presidential candidate, Lu's chances of
winning the DPP nomination are rated much lower than other
potential candidates such as Su Tseng-chang. One of Lu's
strong points, which may have led to her being selected as
acting chairman, is that she has not been involved in any of
the string of scandals that has tarnished the DPP and its
leadership.


4. (C) Trong Chai, the founding chairman of the Formosan
Association for Public Affairs (FAPA),expressed his
intention to compete in the election for the next DPP
chairman during a December 5 meeting of the DPP Mainstream
Coalition faction, according to the press. Trong Chai's
success in installing Lu as interim DPP Chair will be
troubling to anyone hoping the DPP would take a measured,
moderate course after its December 3 defeat. His candidacy
to succeed Lu will likely motivate the New Tide and others to
find a less fundamentalist alternative. The future course of
the DPP could be determined by their success or failure.

KEEGAN