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Will The DPP Lose Its Control Of Taiwan’s Six Special Municipalities?

With mayorship of all of Taiwan’s six special municipalities up for the vote in 2018 local elections, the DPP looks like it may have a tough time holding onto its current political dominance in four out of the six municipalities. Some take the view that DPP losses in these municipalities will allow the KMT to rebuild momentum, which is why DPP losses could be worrying...

What Will Become Of The Third Force In 2018 Elections?

Going into 2018 local elections tomorrow, it is a question as to what will become of Taiwan’s so-called “Third Force”. “Third Force” as a term refers to political parties which emerged after the 2014 Sunflower Movement, composed in large part out of young people, youth candidates, and activists turned politician, and which framed themselves as breaking from establishment politics both DPP and KMT...

Concerns That 2020 Olympics Name Referendum Could Lead To Taiwan Olympics Ban On The Rise

The most popular of the slate of referendums which are to be voted on this Saturday, the referendum on what name Taiwan will participate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics under, has come under increased scrutiny in the past week. Namely, the International Olympics Committee has warned that Taiwan could be banned from participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics if the referendum is successful...

Televised Debate On Nuclear Power Points To KMT Push Behind Referendum

The third televised debate on nuclear energy took place on November 12th, with Huang Shih-hsiu (黃士修), the initiator of the referendum on whether Taiwan should remove legal provisions for Taiwan to be nuclear-free by 2025, faced off against Hung Shen-han of the Green Citizen Action Alliance. The debate quite directly reveals how the KMT has been a major force in pushing for the referendum...

Televised Gay Marriage Debate Suggests What Endgame Of Anti-Gay Groups Is

What emerges from a televised debate held on November 15th between New Power Party (NPP) chair Huang Kuo-chang and Tseng Pin-chieh, a professor at the College of Law at National Chung Cheng University, should be highly concerning to supporters of marriage equality in Taiwan. Namely, Tseng’s comments in the debate are highly indicative of what the aims of anti-gay groups in Taiwan are in their referendum against marriage equality, what their current strategy is, and what their endgame likely is...