The defeat suffered by Taiwan’s pro-independence ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Saturday’s local elections is seen as a warning to President Tsai Ing-wen and her party that voters are not happy with their governance on local issues.
Analysts, though, say it is too soon to tell what consequences the loss will have on the presidential race in January 2024 and on relations with mainland China, which wants to reunify with the self-ruled island one day.
The party, which had lost half of the cities and counties it had held in the 2018 local elections, shed two more this time, including Taoyuan City, one of the six biggest municipalities. It now controls only five of Taiwan’s 21 cities and counties.
The main opposition party, the Kuomintang, which has long worked to reduce tensions with Beijing, won 13 cities and counties, including retaking control of the capital, Taipei. The party now controls four of Taiwan’s six municipalities, where 70% of the population lives.
Taiwan Elections Seen as a Warning to Ruling Party (voanews.com)
