Ko Wen-je Denies Being Sidelined, Says Institutionalization Inevitably Brings Turbulence

Ko Wen-je, founder and former chairman of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), responded on the 26th to rumors that he has been sidelined within the party, stating that the TPP's transition from a one-man party to an institutionalized one is bound to encounter turbulence. He emphasized that his current role as a 'coach' is more important than being the lead runner. Ko was interviewed on a live stream by Hsu Fu, a TPP candidate for Taipei City Council. When asked about rumors that he has been isolated from party affairs, Ko jokingly dismissed them. Ko stated that it is impossible to do everything in a 24-hour day, and for the TPP to survive long-term, the most important task is to build an education and training system. Therefore, he is currently focusing his efforts on coaching local candidates on how to organize their campaign teams. Regarding the controversies and departures following the nomination process for the 2026 local elections, Ko acknowledged that such turbulence is inevitable during the institutionalization process. He aims to make the party rely on rules and collective decision-making rather than a single leader. Regarding criticism directed at party chairman Huang Kuo-chang, Ko noted that Huang is targeted because he is the chairman, and much of the criticism stems from personal disappointment with nomination results.