Lu Promises Not to Run for Chair as New Poll Puts Chen's Approval at 10%

A poll from TVBS puts Chen's ratings at just 10%.

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) popularity has fallen to a new low of ten percent amid intensified infighting in his Democratic Progressive Party in the wake of its election setback, a survey said yesterday.

The survey by the TVBS cable news channel on Wednesday and Thursday also found that some 33 percent of 945 respondents approved of the performance of Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), despite her strong criticism of the president.

The poll was conducted after Lu changed her mind and agree to continue as the DPP's acting chairman after senior party politicians called for unity amid a rift between the top two leaders.

Readers may recall that TVBS is a pro-KMT station 100% owned by Hong Kong interests, which the Administration went after in a clumsy and stupid move a couple of months back that result in much egg on the DPP's face. Chen's popularity is low, but TVBS is not a credible source of good numbers.

In the meantime the papers are reporting that Vice President Annette Lu will not be running for the DPP chairmanship.

Pundits have speculated that Lu would seek to become the regular DPP chair in an attempt to win the party's presidential nomination in 2008. Lu's decision not to seek the chairmanship helped set the stage for an upcoming duel between Presidential Secretary-general Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃) and DPP Legislator Trong Chai (蔡同榮).

[Taiwan] [DPP] [TVBS]