Former President Lee Teng-hui, known as the Father of Taiwan’s democracy, has passed away at the age of 97-years-old.
He died of septic shock and multi-organ failure in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, on Thursday. He was hospitalized for about six months.
He served as the President of Taiwan from 1988 to 2000. He was credited with bringing an end to authoritarian rule in Taiwan and the rise of pluralism and democracy. But he himself was a controversial figure.
During his tenure as President, he led constitutional changes for a democratic political system. One of those changes is the election of the President by the people’s vote directly.
“The death of former President Lee Teng-hui is a day of mourning for us,” Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen wrote in a Twitter message, adding, “He is our pride. He laid the foundation of democracy based on identity. His actions will inspire the next generation to face various challenges in the future with courage.”
Lee took over the presidency in 1986, following the death of his predecessor, Chiang Ching-kuo. In 1996, the first direct presidential election was held in Taiwan. He was then democratically elected as the second term president by a huge majority. Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com/
