DPP berates New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih for missing meeting

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Strained political tensions boiled over on Wednesday (Sept. 27) at the New Taipei City Council. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) council members berated the absent New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih, who is also the Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate.

Mayor Hou is currently on leave to run for the presidency. New Taipei City Deputy Mayor Liu He-jan stands in to carry out administrative reports in his stead.

The DPP members have not warmly welcomed this move.

Before the council meeting began, DPP members occupied the podium, raising a banner that read, "Grieving protest, the mayor has absconded."

They also questioned Deputy Mayor Liu's authority and representation.

In response, KMT council members held banners that stated, "DPP stop making trouble," and "Did Lai Ching-te take a leave?"

Despite the chaos, New Taipei City Council Speaker Chiang Ken-huang decided to move forward with the meeting start. DPP members persisted, continuously chanting for Hou to attend the meeting.

KMT members have criticized the DPP's behavior, accusing them of treating the Council as a stage for theatrics.