Another Step Toward Democratic Politics

The elections which, as everyone knows, have just ended, were the first election since the lifting of martial law in Taiwan, and the first in the direction of party politics.

And report cards are out....

Of the 101 supplementary legislative seats, the ruling Kuomintang took 72, the Democratic Progressive Party holds 21, with eight for other candidates.

Of the 21 county magistrates or city mayors, the ruling party holds 14, the DPP 6, and there was one independent winner.

In the Taiwan Provincial Assembly, 77 members were to be elected. Fifty-four are from the KMT, 16 from the DPP, with seven independents.

In the Taipei City Council (51 seats), KMT candidates took 36, DPP candidates took 14, and one other candidate was elected.

In the Kaohsiung City Council, of 43 seats, KMT standard bearers occupied 29, DPP reps took 8, and one Labor Party and six in dependents won.

Because the DPP won 21 Legislative seats, which is enough to propose bills, they should have some effect on the agenda. National Taiwan University Professor Hu Fo says that this will effect a qualitative change in the structure of government, and push democracy forward.

In terms of fairness, KMT Chairman Lee Teng-hui issued the following instruction at the opening of the campaign: "Votes are secondary, hearts and minds are what matter." Although there were some flaps before the election, and some disputes about delays in ballot opening at a few places, the responsible institutions did their utmost to ensure strict neutrality at the 10,600 polling places.

As KMT Secretary-General James Soong said after the election, the attitude of the ruling party is that winning seats was important but winning social stability was even more important. Thus, he believes that so far as the ruling party is concerned, the election was "a setback inside a victory" and "a warning within encouragement."

U.S. Congressman Steven Solarz, Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Subcommittee of the House of Representatives, says both parties deserve praise--the KMT for holding the fairest, freest elections yet, and the DPP for participating even though it was impossible for them to win a majority of seats.

The voting turnout was 75.9% for the mayor/magistrate elections, 75.17% for the supplementary legislative races, and 75.89 for provincial assembly contests, an increase over recent years.

Some have argued that because of the instituting of party competition, the voters valued even more highly the votes in their hands and the decisive power they were able to wield. The electorate uses its vote to express its expectations. Since the lifting of martial law, society has changed rapidly. Yet structures, law, and outlooks have not been able to keep up. Numerous disorderly phenomena have cropped up, such as a deterioration in public safety caused by the spread of guns. The problem of parliamentary turnover, polarization of views on the issue of Taiwan independence vs. reunification with China, real estate and stock speculation, shortcomings in social welfare, and labor and environmental problems all need to be addressed.

But how could voters pick the ideal candidate? The results of the vote show that the party label is no longer a sure thing--its significance is fading. The voters hope that outstanding, fresh, and bold figures of the new generation will perform well. Candidates with good images and judgement, who stress public policy issues of concern to the people, as well as reformers, were the ones people directed their support to this time.

Because the Taiwan independence issue caused debates in the campaign, many people are curious about the election of a large number (20) of pro-independence candidates belonging to the "New Country Movement."

Ting Hsueh-liang, a mainland Chinese Ph.D. candidate in sociology at Harvard, points out that "independence" means different things on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. In Taiwan it is no longer a value or moral problem, but is rationally calculated in terms of what consequences might be. For the mainland it is a problem of national identification. Thus, unilateral action on one side could bring unreasoned intervention from the other.

Premier Lee Huan suggested that individual performance and changes in society account more for the election of NCM candidates than support for their platform.

Some people wonder if the election of several non-ruling party mayors or magistrates will affect implementation of policy. Premier Lee says, "Democratic government is rule of law government," and hopes that everything will be done according to law.

The ruling party has frankly accepted the results of the election, and formed the "Party Affairs Reform Committee" to handle future recruitment, mobilization, and reform within the party. The party will adopt long-term policies to meet the demands for reform and liberalization expressed in the vote. The DPP carries the heavy responsibilities of the largest opposition party, a major factor for the country's democratic development.

The government must understand well public opinion, speed up reform and openness, and improve the quality of administration. Political parties must deal rationally with an ever more autonomous public, and respect fair competition. Those elected must encourage the government to realize promises made in the campaign. The end of the election, in this sense, marks only the beginning of another test--the winning candidates must take their marks, get set, and ...

[Picture Caption]

Political opinion meetings were not as tumultuous as in the past, with voters coolly taking in what the candidates had to offer.

Election supervision officials, the "unsung heroes" of elections, did their utmost to fulfill their duties.

U.S. Congressman Steven Solarz, chairman of the Asia-Pacific Subcommittee of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, affirmed Taiwan's democratic politics.

It was really the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

The ruling party's Chou Chuan and independent Chen Ting-nan won massive support in the race for Legislative Yuan.

Election supervision officials, the "unsung heroes" of elections, did their utmost to fulfill their duties.

U.S. Congressman Steven Solarz, chairman of the Asia-Pacific Subcommittee of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, affirmed Taiwan's democratic politics.

It was really the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

The ruling party's Chou Chuan and independent Chen Ting-nan won massive support in the race for Legislative Yuan.

The ruling party's Chou Chuan and independent Chen Ting-nan won massive support in the race for Legislative Yuan.