The PDP loses the absolute majority it had in the Taiwanese Parliament
The candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), William Lai, has won the presidential elections held this Saturday in Taiwan with 40.73 percent of the votes, according to provisional results corresponding to 87 percent of the vote.
Lai has highlighted that these results represent a success due to “resistance to foreign influence”, in reference to pressure from China to achieve the victory of a like-minded candidate. They also assume that “Taiwan will continue on the side of democracy and not authoritarianism,” “that it will continue walking with its democratic allies,” and that the country “will continue on the right path, without going backwards.”
“This is our insistence. We do not give up,” Lai highlighted in his speech to his supporters, in which he thanked his two opponents for their democratic behavior after acknowledging his defeat. “I have received your congratulatory calls,” he highlighted.
Lai is thus emerging as the successor to outgoing president Tsai Ing Wen, also from the PDP, considered the party furthest from Beijing’s positions. With this victory, the DPP achieves a third consecutive four-year term at the head of the country, an unprecedented milestone in the history of Taiwan since the head of state began to be elected in direct elections in 1996.
Lai’s two main rivals have already recognized his victory, according to Taiwanese press reports. The presidential candidate of the Nationalist Party of China, the Kuomintang, Hou Yu Ih, appeared before his supporters at the party headquarters and congratulated Lai on his victory.
Hou has apologized to his followers for not having been able to achieve victory and has called on the winner to “listen to the voice of the people.” He has also asked the new DPP government to be “more transparent and effective” and guarantee Taiwan’s security.
Hou would be the second most voted with 33.27 percent, ahead of the candidate of the People’s Party of Taiwan (PPT), Ko Wen Je, who would have achieved 26.01 percent support, according to data from the Central Election Commission. .
Ko has highlighted the “many miracles” achieved by the PPT thanks to “small donations” and has assured that the results achieved by his party – formed in 2019 – are positive for Taiwanese politics. “On the path to justice, on the path to achieving a sustainable nation, Ko Wen Je will not give up and I ask you please not to give up either,” he stated, according to the Focus Taiwan portal.
LOSS OF THE LEGISLATIVE MAJORITY
However, Lai’s victory has been slightly clouded because his party, the DPP, does not maintain control of the Legislative Yuan, or Taiwan’s unicameral Parliament.
“We have not worked hard enough. We must humbly review the situation. The election results tell us that people expect a capable government and effective controls. We understand this message and respect it,” Lai declared in his speech.
Thus, he has committed to “study in depth the political opinions” of his two rivals and to “incorporate them as long as the need for national development is satisfied.” Lai has assured that she will make the appointments “based on capabilities”, without taking into account the acronym of the party to which the possible candidates belong.
“We are going to give priority to issues on which all parties share a consensus. If there is no consensus and there is no urgency, we will continue to dialogue,” he stressed.
The PPD has received the most votes in the legislative elections, with 36.37 percent of votes. Behind would be the Kuomintang with 34.5 percent support. The PDP would have obtained 36 of the 73 seats that are decided by the most voted candidate system, while the Kuomintang would obtain another 36 representatives.
There remain six other seats reserved for indigenous candidates and the 34 that are decided by proportional representation of party lists. Until now the PPD controlled 62 of the 113 seats that make up the Chamber.
The elections have taken place in an atmosphere of absolute tranquility but the Taiwan Police have verified 92 cases of violations of the electoral law, half of them for taking photos of a ballot or bringing a phone to the voting booth.
