Wang Ding-yu stepping down as legislator? Huang Yang-ming reveals DPP factional struggle: Successor is 'him'

The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) national congress concluded on Sunday. Wang Ding-yu, a legislator from Tainan and a key figure in the Yongyan Association, not only stepped down from running for Central Standing Committee (CSC) member, but rumors suggest he may not run in the next district legislative election (Tainan's 6th electoral district). Instead, former legislator Chen Po-wei (3Q), who officially joined the DPP in April, is rumored to take over. However, veteran media commentator Huang Yang-ming revealed on the political talk show 'Villager Supervisory Court' that there is a force within the green camp opposing 3Q's succession. This force, he said, is not local to Tainan but stems from political power in Taipei. Huang stated bluntly that President Lai Ching-te has strong reservations about Wang Ding-yu, particularly after declassified national archives exposed Wang's past role as a KMT informant. Huang believes someone is orchestrating this revelation. Why now? Huang suggests the timing was intended to dissuade Wang from running for the CSC. He also revealed that a group opposes 3Q (Chen Po-wei) succeeding Wang, adding, 'They are not local (from Tainan), but from Taipei. They already have their own candidate in mind and want 'him' to return to his hometown to run—someone potentially stronger than 'Watermelon.' In 2018, during local elections, Lin Fei-fan, then Deputy Secretary-General of the National Security Council, said at a Taiwan Statebuilding Party rally that 'a certain party could even win by nominating a watermelon.' After DPP candidate Huang Wei-cher won the Tainan mayoral race, he earned the satirical nickname 'Watermelon Mayor.' Huang also noted that Wang's informant past affects DPP factions. He pointed out that the Yongyan Association, a pro-Lai faction within the DPP, had to align with Lai's strategy during the national congress, which is why Wang ultimately withdrew from the CSC election.