Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Whatever the outcome of the upcoming January 14 presidential elections, one thing is certain; Taiwan's 2012 Legislative Yuan will clearly not be in for the same old, same old. Let's start with basics; remember back in 2008 when Ma Ying-jeou won with some 58 per cent of the vote. In the Legislative Yuan, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) got some 54 per cent of the vote but because of disproportionate district representation, and with the aid of its pan-blue coalition it got a totally uncalled for 76 per cent of the seats. Those days are gone forever and for many reasons.

The presidential election is almost upon us. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has dredged up the Yu Chang affair again, trying to deliver a fatal blow to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). However, it may have backfired, and it is possible this could be the last straw, the one that breaks the back of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) campaign. He has failed to hurt Tsai and he has not done himself any favors either.