Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

DPP sweep boosts Taiwan democracy

Taiwan News Editorial

Following its victory in a critical legislative by-election in Yunlin County in late September and a strong showing in local mayoral elections in December, the opposition Democratic Progressive Party scored another political triumph by sweeping three legislative by-election seats in Taoyuan County, Taichung County and Taitung County Saturday.

These results marked a major step toward the deepening of Taiwan democracy by showing the increasing independence of voters and their capability to exercise an unexpected degree of "check and balance" over the "one party dominant" Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) government of President Ma Ying-jeou.

Taiwan, January 2010: As the World Turns

Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

Saturday January 9, 2010, a clean sweep for the DPP as it took the three Legislative Yuan positions that were up for re-election when vacated because of among other things previous KMT vote-buying. Ma's new spin-doctor KMT Secretary-General King Pu-tsung is going to be working overtime to try and put a positive spin on this one. All three positions had been KMT held. More by-elections in February, but the immediate damage is that the DPP now has more than one-fourth of the Legislative positions and can officially challenge the President in legislative matters.

A foundation for pitiful debate

Taipei Times

The facade of an aggressive, take-no-prisoners consumer advocacy group that the Consumers’ Foundation has carefully built over the years is surely close to collapse after the latest developments this week on the US beef controversy.

On Thursday, a petition sponsored by the foundation passed the Cabinet Referendum Screening Committee by unanimous vote. The petition seeks to canvass voters on whether the government should reverse its decision to accept new categories of beef products from the US and whether the government should enter into new negotiations with Washington on the matter.