Chen Ting‑fei Challenges DPP Primary, Seeks First Female Tainan Mayor

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Chen Ting‑fei delivered a surprise blow to Tainan’s political scene on Tuesday, formally registering with the DPP’s Tainan City party headquarters to run for the city’s next mayor. The highly watched internal contest within the Green Camp entered a feverish phase with Chen’s official filing. After completing the registration, Chen addressed the press, emphasizing that Tainan—founded in 1624 and now four centuries old—has never had a female mayor. She said her candidacy, backed by citizen support, would break the historically male‑dominated framework of local governance and usher in a new, historically significant chapter for the city. The move signals the full‑throttle launch of Chen’s long‑standing local involvement and marks the formal opening of a fierce DPP mayoral primary in Tainan.

The Tainan mayoralty, a prized prize for the nation’s Green Camp, has always been a battlefield, especially as incumbent mayor Huang Wei‑che completes his two‑term tenure. Various factions within the party have been maneuvering behind the scenes. Chen, a veteran of Tainan’s political landscape, has risen from city councilor to senior legislator, building solid grassroots support and an extensive party network. Her bold registration, framed around the slogan “Tainan’s first female mayor in four hundred years,” taps into contemporary gender‑equality expectations and aims to differentiate her from a field of predominantly male rivals, adding both a human‑interest angle and additional talking points to the upcoming campaign.

At the same time, Kuomintang (KMT) heavyweight Hsieh Lung‑chieh, viewed by the party as a key contender for the Tainan mayoralty, completed his legislative session check‑in in Taipei. As a KMT legislator with both local representation credentials and national visibility, Hsieh’s actions are closely monitored by the Blue Camp. His arrival in the Legislative Yuan displayed acute political sensitivity and fighting spirit; he focused on upcoming budget reviews and legislative battles, while observers interpreted his activities as dual‑track strategy—monitoring the central government’s performance in the legislature to raise his profile, and simultaneously laying groundwork for the 2026 Tainan mayoral race, maintaining high visibility at both the local and national levels.

As potential candidates from the major parties continue to position themselves, the contours of the Tainan mayoral contest are becoming clearer. Within the DPP, beyond Chen, other strong‑armed legislators or local officials are expected to enter the primary, guaranteeing a highly competitive race. Selecting a candidate with the greatest chance of winning through democratic mechanisms will test the ruling party’s strategic acumen. On the KMT side, Hsieh has already demonstrated strong ambition and a commitment to grassroots outreach, aiming to breach the DPP’s traditional stronghold and achieve a partisan turnover. The interplay between the parties at the local level and in the national legislature will directly influence the broader political landscape.

Viewed against the backdrop of Tainan’s political development, this mayoral battle represents more than a personal career advancement; it signals a pivotal transformation for the historic capital as it moves toward its next century. Whether voters are swayed by Chen’s promise of a new era of female leadership and her vision for the city, or by Hsieh’s long‑standing call for partisan change and local reform, these themes will shape voter considerations at the ballot box. As candidates launch their campaigns and the election cycle intensifies, issues such as industrial development, cultural preservation, transportation infrastructure, and generational transition will be rigorously examined, ultimately determining the future direction of this storied city.

(Source: Central News Agency)