Mayor’s Weekly Journal: Hello everyone, I’m Liu Yu-Yu, Mayor of Yuanli Township, Miaoli.

Do We Still Believe in Democracy in 2025?

After reading Mayor’s Weekly Journal, perhaps you can feel hopeful again.

Politics should not be a contest of power, influence, or behind-the-scenes bargaining. Governance is not calculation or exchange—it is not backroom deal-making. It is about public responsibility and collective care.

Three years ago, Liu Yu-Yu was elected Mayor of Yuanli Township, Miaoli, defeating a seasoned incumbent. At the time, she was 35 years old, unmarried, and a former independent bookstore owner in the small town of Yuanli. Without party affiliation, family backing, or factional support, she won a decisive victory that surprised many and was later described as a “small-town democratic miracle.”

Yet democracy has never been about miracles—it is about confronting countless unresolved challenges.

More than 800 days later, questions remain: How are Liu and her team doing now? Has Yuanli truly changed? Can local politics in Taiwan become better? Can democracy continue to move forward even in difficult times?

Since taking office, Liu Yu-Yu and her team have responded through daily action and uninterrupted weekly journal entries, maintaining a commitment to political transparency amid the turbulence of social media and public discourse.

The book is divided into two parts. The first explores Liu’s background, social movement experience, and the motivations behind her candidacy, as well as how she entered and navigated local politics as a non-traditional political figure. The second selects 44 essays from her weekly journals, documenting policy development in Yuanli, including market reconstruction, child participation budgeting, active aging, disaster resilience, public infrastructure, and budget transparency—showing how policy is formed, implemented, and transformed at the local level.

This work stands as a unique narrative of post–martial law Taiwan—a blend of youthful idealism and local identity. At a time when global democracy faces uncertainty, the story of Yuanli offers insight and courage: by doing small but meaningful things every week, real change becomes possible.

Publication Information

ISBN: 9786269832958
Pages: 384
Binding: Paperback
Print: Monochrome