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ANALYSIS: Cabinet
reshuffle ‘shows Ma’s plans’
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff reporter
The latest Cabinet reshuffle highlights President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) attempts
to strengthen cooperation between the administrative and legislative branches to
push forward more government reforms, while seeking to consolidate his
leadership of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) amid an internal power
struggle ahead of mayoral elections next year and the presidential election in
2016, analysts said.
There have been speculations about a reshuffle of the Cabinet, led by outgoing
Premier Sean Chen, over the Executive Yuan’s poor execution of government
policies and lack of communication with the KMT’s legislative caucus, as well as
that Ma’s record-low approval rate and opposition against his re-election bid as
KMT chairman have prompted him to start a Cabinet reshuffle, and to replace Chen
with Vice Premier Jiang Yi-hua (江宜樺).
“Chen has apparently lost Ma’s trust over his handling of major government
policies, from fuel price increases to pension reform plans, which sparked
public discontent. Jiang, on the other hand, has demonstrated great skill in
leading the pension reform task force and Ma is hoping that he will better
execute government policies and stabilize the political situation,” Ming Chuan
University professor Chen Chao-chien (陳朝建) said.
Jiang, 53, emerged as a promising politician under the Ma administration after
he proved his capability in executing government policies during his term as
minister of the interior. Ma hand-picked him to serve as vice premier and by
becoming premier, he will assure his political strength as a preferred successor
to Ma and a threat to other presidential hopefuls in the KMT, including Vice
President Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) and New Taipei City
Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫).
As the Cabinet reshuffle sparked new discussions on the KMT power struggle and
its election strategy ahead of the local government-head elections next year and
the presidential election in 2016, Chen Chao-chien said Ma is using Jiang’s
appointment to contain the forces behind Chu, Hau and Wu, as well as former
Taipei EasyCard Corp chairman Sean Lien (連勝文), son of former KMT chairman Lien
Chan (連戰).
“Aside from seeking historical recognition in his last term as president, Ma
also needs to prevent a power struggle within the KMT, because he is trying to
take full control of the party and get re-elected as party chairman,” Chen
Chao-chien said.
Shih Cheng-feng (施正鋒), a professor at National Dong Hwa University, said the
timing of the Cabinet reshuffle showed Ma is desperate to raise his approval
ratings and consolidate his leadership in the KMT. Jiang taking over the
premiership also reflected the KMT’s lack of talent and Ma’s limited
decision-making circle.
“The selection of Jiang as premier is not surprising. This latest personnel
reshuffle only confirms Ma’s habit of choosing officials with an academic
background from a limited talent pool,” he said.
Aside from the appointment of a new premier, Chen Yen-hui (陳延輝), a professor at
National Taiwan Normal University’s Graduate Institute of Political Science,
said the reshuffle of the financial bodies under the Executive Yuan were just as
crucial, as the government must prioritize its efforts to ensure the nation’s
economic recovery.
“The biggest problem facing the nation is still the economy and Jiang, unlike
Sean Chen, is not an expert in economics and finance. People who can help
address the nation’s economic issues is what the Ma administration should be
looking for,” Chen Yen-hui said.
Chen Chao-chien agreed and added that the Ma administration should place more
importance on the follow-up reshuffle in the Ministry of Finance and the
Ministry of Economic Affairs, and find suitable personnel to continue efforts in
reviving the economy.
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