Jul 27 (Japan Times) - Democratic Party leader Renho announced Thursday she will step down as the head of the nation’s largest opposition force, saying she didn’t have the leadership ability to maintain party unity in the wake of its crushing defeat in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election earlier this month.
The DP won only five of the 127-seats up for contention in the July 2 election, which critically damaged Renho's political power base within her own party.
Experts say the defeat also showed voters did not believe the DP was a viable alternative to replace Abe's Liberal Democratic Party. Renho's resignation has thus underlined the identity crisis that the largest opposition force is facing due to deep-rooted distrust among voters.
Recent media polls have shown the approval rate of the party dwindling, falling below 10 percent, even at a time when the political fortunes of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet are on the wane due to a number of recent scandals.
"We have taken the offensive against the Abe administration and forced it in a difficult position. But if we are not recognized as an alternative force, it will just spread public distrust in both ruling and opposition parties," Renho told a news conference at the parliamentary building.
"That was a major factor in my decision" to step down as the DP president, Renho said.
The DP leader said she made the decision after attending meetings with party members to review the election performance and seeing the resignation of the party's secretary-general, Yoshihiko Noda.
Source: Kyodo
