ROC legislative election, 2004 Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
The Election for the 6th Legislative Yuan (第六屆立法委員選舉) of the Republic of China on Taiwan is scheduled for December 11, 2004. At stake will be all 225 seats: 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected by popular vote among the aboriginal populations. Members will serve three-year terms beginning in February 1, 2005.
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2 Single district candidates 3 Legislator-at-large candidates 4 Overseas Chinese candidates 5 External link |
Dynamics and strategies
To maintain the majority of the Pan-Blue Coalition, Kuomintang Chairman Lien Chan and People First Party James Soong proposed in May 2004 to merge their parties, though there remains opposition, especially by hardliners in the PFP and pro-Lee Teng-hui elements in the KMT not wanting to be in the same party. Currently, the KMT (which now controls just over 60 seats) plans to field 65 nominees for directly elected seats alone to preserve its status as the second largest party. The New Party is running eight candidates, the minimum number required to form a legislative caucus. Seven of those candidates will be running as candidates under the KMT banner to avoid splitting the vote though their campaigns will continue to be run by the New Party. However, one candidate--presumed to the Wu Cheng-tien of Kinmen as a "safe" district is desired--will run as a New Party candidate to signify the party's continued existence.
The leaders of the KMT, PFP, and New Party, which all share similar political views, have expressed concern over overcrowding. In 2001, the DPP won 40% of the seats even though they only polled 36% of the vote. Similarly, negotiations between Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian have occurred, presumably over calls for the Taiwan Solidarity Union and DPP to form a coalition government.
Single district candidates
Among those seeking re-election is John Chang who switched constitutencies to Taipei City North from Taipei City South. Also seeking one the 10 seats in Taipei City South are political commentator and writer Li Ao and former DPP Chairman Hsu Hsin-liang, both of whom are running as independents. Another former DPP Chairman who had a falling out with his party, Shih Ming-teh, is running in Taipei City North, also as an independent. The last day to register was October 12, 2004.
Legislator-at-large candidates
Legislator-at-large candidates, selected to project an favorable image of their respective political parties, are usually veteran politicians with large bases of support, as in the case of former Premier Chang Chun-hsiung and Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng or non-political individuals of national prominence or expertise, such as 28-year-old Olympic medalist Huang Chih-hsiung. Candidates from the latter group are often not affiliated with the party by which they are nominated and must seek to apply.
The Democratic Progressive Party formally announced its party slate on September 21, 2004. The nomination process organized candidates into two categories: 20 from the political group, chosen by a vote among party members and through a public opinion survey, and 20 from the expert and academics group, selected by an eight-member nominating committee. The list, to be ratified at the DPP national congress on September 26, alternates nominees from the political group and the experts and academics group. The DPP estimates that it will win a minimum of 17 of the 40 at-large seats and has placed nine women in the seventeen "safe seats" and an aboriginal in the number 2 position to illustrate its commitment to womens' and minority rights.
| Democratic Progressive Party | ||
| Order | Name | Notes |
| 1 | Tsai Huang-liang | incumbent legislator |
| 2 | Chen Hsiu-hui | member of the Council of Indigenous Peoples women's committee |
| 3 | Hong Chi-chang | incumbent legislator |
| 4 | Chang Chun-hsiung | DPP secretary-general |
| 5 | Kao Jyh-peng | incumbent legislator |
| 6 | Tsai Ing-wen | former chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council |
| 7 | Hsueh Ling | managing director of Sunny Bank |
| 8 | Wang Jung-chang | secretary-general of the Disabled Alliance |
| 9 | You Ching | incumbent legislator |
| 10 | Chang Ching-hui | former National Assembly member |
| 11 | Lin Cho-shui | incumbent legislator |
| 12 | Lu Tien-lin | president of the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions |
| 13 | Tien Chiou-chin | environmentalist |
| 14 | Huang Hsu-ying | chairwoman of the League of Taiwan Women |
| 15 | Chiu Yeong-jen | incumbent legislator |
| 16 | Wang To-far | head of the Taiwan Professors Association |
| 17 | Hsu Jung-shu | incumbent legislator |
The KMT formally announced its party slate on September 22, 2004. The New Party will formally declare on September 24 that all its legislative candidates will join the December polls under the KMT banner. The KMT estimates that it will win a minimum of 14 of the at large seats.
| Nationalist Party of China | ||
| Order | Name | Notes |
| 1 | Wang Jin-pyng | incumbent Legislative Yuan President |
| 2 | Chiang Pin-kung | incumbent Legislative Yuan Vice President |
| 3 | Huang Chih-hsiung | Olympics medalist in taekwondo |
| 4 | Lee Jih-chu | Economic policy expert |
| 5 | Tseng Yung-chuan | KMT Policy Committee convener |
| 6 | Pai Tien-chih | Taiwan Agro Fighters United chairman |
| 7 | Huang Chao-shun | incumbent legislator-at-large |
| 8 | Huang Teh-fu | incumbent caucus whip |
| 9 | Kuo Su-chun | party spokeswoman |
| 10 | Liu Sheng-liang | chairman of the World Hakka Federation |
| 11 | Chang Jen-hsiang | incumbent Aboriginal legislator |
| 12 | Tsao Shou-min | New Party nominee |
| 13 | Su Chi | former Mainland Affairs Council chairman |
| 14 | Ho Tsai-feng | incumbent legislator |
| Nationalist Party of China | ||
| Order | Name | Notes |
| 1 | Wu Ing-yi | Medical doctor in the U.S. |
| 2 | Hsieh Wen-cheng | businessman in Japan |
| 3 | Wu Sung-po | businessman in South Africa |