Taiwan’s opposition parties join forces for crucial presidential poll

Author: Editors Desk Source: Financial Times

November 15, 2023 at 06:38

Deal sharply increases odds that ruling Democratic Progressive party will lose election closely watched by China

Hou Yu-ih, second left, candidate for the main opposition Kuomintang; Ma Ying-jeou, centre, Taiwan’s former president; and Ko Wen-je, right, of the Taiwan People’s party on Wednesday © Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images

Taiwan’s two main opposition parties agreed on Wednesday to put their respective candidates on a joint ticket for January’s hotly contested presidential election, a deal which sharply increases the odds that the ruling Democratic Progressive party will lose power.

Former police chief and New Taipei City mayor Hou Yu-ih, nominated by the largest opposition party Kuomintang, and former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je, a surgeon who is running for the centrist Taiwan People’s party he founded, have been neck-and-neck in the polls.

Both candidates have called for a resumption of dialogue with China, which Beijing broke off after the DPP came to power in 2016.

Political analysts and both parties believe that without joining forces, they are likely to lose in the January 13 vote to DPP candidate Lai Ching-te, the current vice-president who leads in the polls.

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