Taiwan president steps down as party leader after election loss

TAIPEI, Taiwan— Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen announced that she is stepping down as leader of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party after it lost local elections Saturday.

“The public has shown its opinion. We will conduct a deep review,” Tsai said after the party won control of only six of 22 cities and counties.

The Chinese Nationalist Party, the main opposi- tion force in Taiwan, won 15.

Taiwan’s relations with China have deteriorated significantly since Tsai came to power in the 2016 election, partly because she does not recognize a 1992 agreement that characterizes Taiwan as a part of China.

Since she took office, five of the countries that recognized Taiwan as a sovereign country switched sides in favor of Beijing.