Lai Ching-te wins 3rd straight Taiwan presidential poll for ruling DPP
TAIPEI — Lai Ching-te of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won Saturday’s presidential election after a tight three-way race, giving the China-skeptic party an unprecedented third consecutive term in office since democratic polls for the presidency were introduced in 1996.
Lai is likely to continue the policies of incumbent Tsai Ing-wen and seek to maintain the status quo with China over the next four years after he takes office in May.
His victory comes despite what his ruling DPP called China’s most heavy handed attempt to meddle in the election through means such as a disinformation campaign and an overt military threat. Communist China has never ruled Taiwan, a democracy of 23 million people, but sees it as its territory and has not ruled out taking the island by force.
Lai declared victory at party headquarters in Taipei. With ballots counted from 99% of polling stations, Lai had 40.14% of the vote, according to Taiwan’s Central Election Commission. Hou Yu-ih from the China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) got 33.44% and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je took 26.43%.
The race was much closer than the previous presidential election, when Tsai crushed KMT rival Han Kuo-yu with 57% of the vote. Founded in 1986, the DPP has now won five out of eight direct presidential elections.
The DPP, however, lost its majority in the Legislative Yuan. This will make it more difficult for Lai to pass legislation over the next four years.
PTL!!
The third party splitter party was unsuccessful.