2020 elections in Taiwan

Han Accuses DPP of Trying to Rig the Elections In Order to Distract from Personal Scandals

Brian Hioe
Attempts by KMT presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu to insist that the DPP is trying to rig Taiwan’s democratic process against it are on the rise as of late. This is likely in response to polling showing a significant lead by Tsai and numerous scandals which have rocked Han lately, including not only with regards to Han’s significant personal wealth but the possibility of his being aided by Chinese disinformation efforts...
December 2019EnglishPolitics6 min read

As the NPP’s Internal Crisis Continues, the DPP Takes Steps to Promote Young People Within the Party

Brian Hioe
The internal crisis of the NPP continues, with elements of the party leadership seemingly still uncommitted to endorsing Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP in 2020 presidential elections and continuing to flirt with the idea of nominating former chair Huang Kuo-chang as the NPP’s presidential candidate. These primarily seem to be older members of the NPP, suggesting an inability to overcome generational inertia in the NPP. In the meantime, the DPP is increasingly taking steps to run young candidates in 2020 elections and appointing young people to high positions within the party...
EnglishPoliticsSeptember 20199 min read

Ambiguity Continues Regarding 2020 Presidential Election Candidates

Brian Hioe
An abortive alliance between Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je, former KMT majority speaker Wang Jinpyng, and FoxConn CEO Terry Gou seems to have sputtered out, following comments by Ko in which he denigrated the other two before a planned meeting that was to take place last Sunday. Although unlikely, talk is also on the rise of the KMT potentially replacing Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu as its presidential candidate in 2020 elections, with the KMT demonstrating some unusual splits regarding Han...
August 2019EnglishPolitics7 min read

In Midst of the NPP’s Continuing Internal Crisis, Sabrina Lim Announces Run for Party Chair

Brian Hioe
Huang Kuo-chang, one of the NPP's two remaining legislators and the party’s former chair, suggested earlier this week that he will not run for reelection as legislator, a move that has led to criticisms with the view that this would lose another legislative seat for the NPP. With it becoming increasingly clear that younger members of the party—who are primarily city councilors and in their 20s and early 30s—will have to take over the party leadership if it is to survive, Taipei city councilor Sabrina Lim announced her plans to run for party chair earlier today...
August 2019EnglishSelf-DeterminationSocial MovementsYouth Movements11 min read

Freddy Lim’s Departure Pushes NPP Toward Cooperation with the DPP

Brian Hioe
Freddy Lim announcing his withdrawal from the New Power Party over the party’s failure to adopt a clear policy regarding whether to cooperate with the DPP in next year’s presidential and legislative elections seems to have been surprisingly successful as a political strategy. Lim was able to successfully force the NPP into at least publicly claiming that it will endorse Tsai Ing-wen for reelection in 2020 elections next year...
August 2019EnglishPolitics8 min read

The NPP Faces Crisis After Major Controversies, Unexpected Departure of Freddy Lim

Brian Hioe
The NPP saw two major controversies erupt in the past week, not only regarding a conflict of interest scandal regarding legislator Kawlo Iyun Pacidal that led to her being stripped of her position as a legislator, but also questions about the political orientation of the party vis-a-vis the DPP going into 2020 elections. Subsequently, with little warning, NPP legislator and party heavyweight Freddy Lim announced earlier today that he would be withdrawing from the NPP and running in Taipei’s Zhongzheng-Wanhua district as an independent...
August 2019EnglishPolitics22 min read

Han Kuo-yu Confirmed as the KMT’s Presidential Candidate, But Fractures Remain Visible in the Party

Brian Hioe
Han Kuo-yu was confirmed as the KMT’s presidential candidate on Sunday at the party’s National Congress, although an unusual development was the simultaneous announcement that a KMT president would not simultaneously serve as the chair of the party going forward. Indeed, this seems to be a sign of continued fractures within the party...
EnglishJuly 2019Politics6 min read