Behind the Scenes: Weng Hsiao-ling’s Negative Online Rating Tops 80% for Three Straight Weeks

The Democratic Progressive Party is turning Kuomintang legislator Weng Hsiao-ling’s online backlash into a campaign message, calling the strategy the “Resentment Weng” card. Internal sentiment analysis cited by Liberty Times showed that negative posts about Weng exceeded 80% for three consecutive weeks.

From Aug. 24 to Aug. 30, negative articles accounted for 82.9% of the online discussion about Weng, while positive articles made up 4%. Her overall volume ranked second among Taiwan’s political figures, slightly above President Lai Ching-te. Earlier internal figures showed that discussion of Weng reached 409,459 posts in one week in mid-August, with 87.4% classified as negative.

The controversy began after Kuomintang and Taiwan People’s Party lawmakers cut or froze the Presidential Office budget used to purchase Mid-Autumn Festival gift boxes from sheltered workshops. The dispute affected orders for 37 sheltered workshops across Taiwan. Kuomintang figures including Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen and legislator Cheng Li-wen later expressed support by placing orders, while legislative caucus leader Fu Kun-chi apologized publicly.

During the local election registration period, the DPP posted messages saying that Weng’s budget cuts reflected collective tolerance and support within the Kuomintang. It promoted slogans such as “Supporting the Kuomintang means supporting Weng Hsiao-ling!” and prepared graphics aimed at 18 Kuomintang county and city mayoral candidates, including messages tying Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an to Weng.

DPP campaign officials said they would connect Weng’s high negative sentiment to Kuomintang candidates through social-media posts and campaign graphics, hoping to pressure them into responding. The article also noted that Chiang’s online volume ranked first, but negative coverage reached 70.7%, driven by discussion of a case involving the alleged molestation of a 10-year-old girl and controversy over caged smoking areas. Party analysts said Weng’s local political ties may be less direct because she is a legislator elected through the party list and is based mainly in Taipei, leaving the effect on local candidates uncertain.