Taiwan’s Election Surprise and Tsai Ing‑wen’s “Fresher” Exit
On Saturday, November 26, President Tsai Ing‑wen made headlines by hanging up the DPP chairmanship after a striking local election upset. Despite her patriotic framing of the vote as a “defensive showdown” against China’s growing flare‑ups, the results didn’t spark the cheers she’d hoped for.
Local Races, Global Stakes
Honestly, the mayoral, county chief, and local council contests are largely about everyday stuff—pandemic roll‑outs, crime rates, and a handful of municipal budgets. The elected officials won’t get to drag the country into China policy. Yet Tsai kept pushing the narrative: “The world is watching how Taiwan holds its democracy up against the big red dragon.”
What the Numbers Say
- 13 of the 21 city mayor and county chief seats landed in the Kuomintang (KMT) camp, including Taipei.
- The DPP took only five seats—pretty much what anyone expected, echoing the 2018 local election results.
- It’s a clear wipe‑out for the ruling party, though not a total collapse.
Tsai’s Calm Acceptance
While declaring, “We humbly accept the results and the Taiwanese people’s decision,” Tsai also reminded reporters that the DPP has never been immune to setbacks. “We fell, but we’ll stand up again,” she said, a little humorous about the inevitable ups and downs of politics.
Staying on as President
Tsai will keep her presidential sash until 2024. She also turned down an early resignation offer from Premier Su Tseng‑chang, another senior DPP figure, insisting he stay on to keep policy continuity. Su promised to hang on for stability amid the “arduous” domestic and international climate.
China’s Take
The Taiwan Affairs Office said the result signals Taiwanese public sentiment leaning toward peace, stability, and a “good life.” Beijing will continue calling for cooperation and anti‑independence solidarity, while pushing to curb foreign meddling.
In a nutshell, Tsai’s decision to step back from the party helm isn’t a dramatic fall but a strategic pivot—time to regroup, revise the playbook, and prepare for the next round of political chess.
‘Red’ accusations
<img alt="" data-caption="Supporters of the opposition party Kuomintang (KMT) celebrate the preliminary results of the local elections during a rally in Taipei, Taiwan, on Nov 26, 2022.
PHOTO: Reuters” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”82d1be8d-7d38-437c-91c7-3698b96cd0a7″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/271122_taiwan_reuters%20%281%29.jpg”/>
Taiwan’s Latest Political Rumble: KMT Claims the Spotlight
On a hot May day, the KMT (Kuomintang) managed to sweep the election and win big in Taiwan’s richest corner of the country—northern Taiwan, especially Taipei. The big customer this time? The city’s mayor, who’s from the tiny Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), couldn’t run again because of term limits. That opened the field for the KMT to snatch the lead.
What’s the KMT’s Strategy?
- They concentrated all their campaign firepower on cautious, wealthy voters who want to stay safe.
- They’ve killed it by pointing out how the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) has spent too much time “fighting” China, whispering that it’s all just “red” politics.
- The KMT is also piling criticism on the government’s handling of the Covid‑19 pandemic—especially after this year’s case surge.
Victory Speech + Freedom Promise
After the top candidate, Eric Chu, declared the kick‑off of the win, he promised the rest of the world that the KMT would keep Taiwan’s freedoms intact.
“We will insist on defending the Republic of China and protecting democracy and freedom,” he told reporters, living by Taiwan’s official name. “We will also work hard to keep regional peace.”
The Military Reacts: China Plays the War Game
Just a few weeks after the election, China launched a round of war simulations around Taiwan to show their frustration over US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit. The military activity hasn’t stopped, it’s just been toned down a bit.
Why This Matters
- It all happened a month after China’s Communist Party rolled out President Xi Jinping‘s historic third term.
- Tsai Ing‑wen, the current DPP president, has spoken about Xi’s extra tenure on her campaign trail.
- People in Taiwan are looking ahead to the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, where Tsai and the DPP won a landslide in 2020 on a promise to stand up to China and protect Taiwanese freedom.
- Because of term limits, Tsai can’t run again, so the debate heats up on who will keep pushing for Taiwan’s independence and democracy.
Bottom Line
With the KMT in the driver’s seat right now, 2024 is going to be a dramatic ride. Will they keep the “freedom” bill on track and smooth out China’s fury? Or will Tsai’s current successes stay the bedrock of Taiwan’s future? Stay tuned—our eyes are on the next big story from the island of dynamic politics.
