Search

On 13 January 2024, Taiwan elected Lai Ching-te as its new president, marking the first time a single political party won three consecutive times. Despite this victory, the Democratic Progressive Party did not secure a legislative majority, spelling a divided government. Meanwhile, China saw Lai as its foe and adopted a more hostile Taiwan policy. President Lai also faces a slow-growing economy, uncertain US relations and substantial challenges despite his party's resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In late 2022, Taiwan held its every four years mid-term election that was comprised of almost all of its local electoral contests; the ruling Democratic Progressive Party lost. President Tsai Ing-wen was blamed for the defeat for having focused excessively on tension with China while ignoring local problems. She was also seen to depend too much on the Biden administration's China's policy. After the election, observers predicted the election would give the opposition Nationalist Party (or Kuomintang, KMT) momentum to win the national presidential, vice-presidential and legislative election in January 2024. Subsequent events and polls, however, indicated a close contest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]