2008 Taiwanese legislative election
Legislative elections were held in Taiwan on 12 January 2008 to elect the members of the Legislative Yuan. It was the first Legislative Yuan election after the constitutional amendments of 2005, which extended term length from three to four years, reduced seat count from 225 to 113, and introduced the current electoral system.
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All 113 seats in the Legislative Yuan 57 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Registered | 17,179,656[a] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turnout | 58.50%[b] ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Vote share by constituencies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Election cartogram |
The results gave the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Pan-Blue Coalition a supermajority (86 of the 113 seats) in the legislature, handing a heavy defeat to then-President Chen Shui-bian's Democratic Progressive Party, which won the remaining 27 seats only. The junior partner in the Pan-Green Coalition, the Taiwan Solidarity Union, won no seats.
Two transitional justice referendums, both of which failed to pass due to low turnout, were held at the same time.
Legislature reform
editFor the first time in the history of Taiwan, most members of the Legislative Yuan were to be elected from single-member districts: 73 of the 113 members were chosen in such districts by the plurality voting system (first-past-the-post). Parallel to the single member constituencies (not compensating for disproportionality in single-member districts), 34 seats were elected in one national district by party-list proportional representation. For these seats, only political parties whose votes exceed a five percent threshold were eligible for the allocation. Six further seats were reserved for Taiwanese aborigines. Therefore, each elector had two ballots under parallel voting.
The aboriginal members were elected by single non-transferable vote in two 3-member constituencies for lowland aborigines and highland aborigines respectively. This did not fulfill the promise in the treaty-like document A New Partnership Between the Indigenous Peoples and the Government of Taiwan, where each of the 13 recognized indigenous peoples was to get at least one seat, and the distinction between highland and lowland abolished.
The breakdown by administrative unit was:[2]
Jurisdiction | Seats | Jurisdiction | Seats | Jurisdiction | Seats |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Taipei City | 8 | Taichung City | 3 | Kaohsiung County | 4 |
Kaohsiung City | 5 | Changhua County | 4 | Pingtung County | 3 |
Taipei County | 12 | Yunlin County | 2 | Yilan County | 1 |
Keelung City | 1 | Nantou County | 2 | Hualien County | 1 |
Taoyuan County | 6 | Chiayi County | 2 | Taitung County | 1 |
Hsinchu City | 1 | Chiayi City | 1 | Penghu County | 1 |
Hsinchu County | 1 | Tainan County | 3 | Kinmen County | 1 |
Miaoli County | 2 | Tainan City | 2 | Lienchiang County | 1 |
Taichung County | 5 |
The delimitation of the single-member constituencies within the cities and counties was a major political issue, with bargaining between the government and the legislature. Of the 15 cities and counties to be partitioned (the ten others have only one seat), only seven of the districting schemes proposed by the CEC were approved in a normal way. The eight other schemes were decided by drawing lots: "Taipei and Taichung cities and Miaoli and Changhua counties will adopt the version suggested by the CEC, while Kaohsiung city will follow the consensus of the legislature. Taipei county will follow the proposal offered by the opposition Taiwan Solidarity Union, Taoyuan county will adopt the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's scheme, and Pingtung county will use the scheme agreed upon by the Non-partisan Solidarity Union, People First Party, Kuomintang and Taiwan Solidarity Union."[3]
Impact of the electoral system
editThe elections were the first held under a new electoral system which had been approved by both major parties in constitutional amendments adopted in 2005, but which one political scientist has argued favored the KMT.[citation needed] The rules are set up so that every county has at least one seat, which gave a higher representation for smaller counties in which the KMT traditionally has done well. Northern counties tend to be marginally in favor of KMT, whereas southern counties tend to be strongly for DPP, and the single member system limits this advantage. The partially led to the result that the legislative count was highly in favor of the KMT while the difference in the number of votes cast for the KMT and DPP were less dramatic.[4]
It was considered possible that the 2008 Taiwanese presidential election would be held on the same day as this election, but this was eventually not the case, with the presidential happening 10 weeks later, in March. Two referendums were held on the same date.
Results
editParty | Party-list | Constituency/Aboriginal | Total seats | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | |||
Kuomintang[i][ii] | 5,010,801 | 51.23 | 20 | 5,291,512 | 53.50 | 61 | 81 | |
Democratic Progressive Party | 3,610,106 | 36.91 | 14 | 3,775,352 | 38.17 | 13 | 27 | |
New Party[ii] | 386,660 | 3.95 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Taiwan Solidarity Union | 344,887 | 3.53 | 0 | 93,840 | 0.95 | 0 | 0 | |
Home Party | 77,870 | 0.80 | 0 | 6,355 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 | |
Non-Partisan Solidarity Union | 68,527 | 0.70 | 0 | 239,317 | 2.42 | 3 | 3 | |
Green Party Taiwan | 58,473 | 0.60 | 0 | 14,767 | 0.15 | 0 | 0 | |
Taiwan Farmers' Party | 57,144 | 0.58 | 0 | 8,681 | 0.09 | 0 | 0 | |
Civil Party | 48,192 | 0.49 | 0 | 6,562 | 0.07 | 0 | 0 | |
Third Society Party | 45,594 | 0.47 | 0 | 10,057 | 0.10 | 0 | 0 | |
Hakka Party | 42,004 | 0.43 | 0 | 8,860 | 0.09 | 0 | 0 | |
Taiwan Constitution Association | 30,315 | 0.31 | 0 | 3,926 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | |
People First Party[i] | 28,254 | 0.29 | 1 | 1 | ||||
Democratic Liberal Party | 5,094 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Great Mercy and Charity Party | 3,783 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Hongyun Loyalty Party | 581 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | ||||
World Peace Party | 489 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Independents[iii] | 393,346 | 3.98 | 1 | 1 | ||||
Total | 9,780,573 | 100.00 | 34 | 9,890,776 | 100.00 | 79 | 113 | |
Valid votes | 9,780,573 | 97.07 | 9,890,776 | 98.41 | ||||
Invalid/blank votes | 295,666 | 2.93 | 159,843 | 1.59 | ||||
Total votes | 10,076,239 | 100.00 | 10,050,619 | 100.00 | ||||
Registered voters/turnout | 17,288,551 | 58.28 | 17,179,656 | 58.50 | ||||
Source: Election Study Center, CEC |
- ^ a b In a pre-election agreement, the Kuomintang and the People First Party agreed to register most PFP constituency candidates as KMT candidates, and nominate a common KMT party list, in order to prevent splitting of the Pan-Blue vote. The PFP won one aboriginal seat it contested under its own name, five constituency seats contested under the KMT banner, and three seats within the KMT party list.
- ^ a b Under New Party direction, all New Party legislators in the outgoing legislature had joined the KMT, and New Party members ran as KMT candidates with New Party endorsement in this election. The New Party ran only party list candidates in this election but failed to pass the 5% threshold.
- ^ Chen Fu-hai of Kinmen, the lone independent elected in this election, is a former KMT member and endorsed the KMT presidential campaign. Hence the strength of the Pan-Blue coalition is taken as 86.
Legislators elected through constituency and aborigine ballots
editConstituency | Elected candidate(s) | Popular vote | |
---|---|---|---|
Taipei City Constituency 1 | Ting Shou-chung (丁守中) | 59.81% | |
Taipei City Constituency 2 | Justin Chou | 52.39% | |
Taipei City Constituency 3 | John Chiang | 60.25% | |
Taipei City Constituency 4 | Alex Tsai | 62.25% | |
Taipei City Constituency 5 | Lin Yu-fang | 58.24% | |
Taipei City Constituency 6 | Diane Lee | 66.80% | |
Taipei City Constituency 7 | Alex Fai (費鴻泰) | 65.79% | |
Taipei City Constituency 8 | Lai Shyh-bao | 71.81% | |
Kaohsiung City Constituency 1 | Huang Chao-shun | 58.29% | |
Kaohsiung City Constituency 2 | Kuan Bi-ling | 48.84% | |
Kaohsiung City Constituency 3 | Hou Tsai-feng (侯彩鳳) | 49.13% | |
Kaohsiung City Constituency 4 | Lee Fu-hsing | 51.32% | |
Kaohsiung City Constituency 5 | Kuo Wen-chen (郭玟成) | 46.01% | |
Taipei County Constituency 1 | Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) | 58.38% | |
Taipei County Constituency 2 | Lin Shu-fen | 43.17% | |
Taipei County Constituency 3 | Yu Tian | 49.51% | |
Taipei County Constituency 4 | Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞) | 51.73% | |
Taipei County Constituency 5 | Huang Chih-hsiung | 52.32% | |
Taipei County Constituency 6 | Lin Hung-chih | 56.93% | |
Taipei County Constituency 7 | Wu Chin-chih | 55.82% | |
Taipei County Constituency 8 | Chang Ching-chung (張慶忠) | 59.55% | |
Taipei County Constituency 9 | Lin Te-fu (林德福) | 69.61% | |
Taipei County Constituency 10 | Lu Chia-chen | 60.10% | |
Taipei County Constituency 11 | Lo Ming-tsai (羅明才) | 69.69% | |
Taipei County Constituency 12 | Lee Ching-hua | 51.96% | |
Keelung City | Hsieh Kuo-liang | 67.79% | |
Yilan County | Lin Chien-jung (林建榮) | 53.12% | |
Taoyuan County Constituency 1 | Chen Ken-te (陳根德) | 61.76% | |
Taoyuan County Constituency 2 | Liao Cheng-ching (廖正井) | 54.57% | |
Taoyuan County Constituency 3 | John Wu | 63.22% | |
Taoyuan County Constituency 4 | Yang Li-huan (楊麗環) | 62.42% | |
Taoyuan County Constituency 5 | Chu Fong-chi | 63.76% | |
Taoyuan County Constituency 6 | Sun Ta-chien (孫大千) | 65.02% | |
Hsinchu County | Chiu Ching-chun | 66.52% | |
Hsinchu City | Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) | 60.61% | |
Miaoli County Constituency 1 | Li Yi-ting | 58.01% | |
Miaoli County Constituency 2 | Hsu Yao-chang | 45.62% | |
Taichung County Constituency 1 | Liu Chuan-chung | 53.59% | |
Taichung County Constituency 2 | Yen Ching-piao | 59.94% | |
Taichung County Constituency 3 | Chiang Lien-fu (江連福) | 54.95% | |
Taichung County Constituency 4 | Shyu Jong-shyong | 64.00% | |
Taichung County Constituency 5 | Yang Chiung-ying | 57.68% | |
Taichung City Constituency 1 | Tsai Chin-lung (蔡錦隆) | 61.29% | |
Taichung City Constituency 2 | Lu Shiow-yen | 57.08% | |
Taichung City Constituency 3 | Daniel Huang (黃義交) | 54.91% | |
Changhua County Constituency 1 | Chen Hsiu-ching | 44.96% | |
Changhua County Constituency 2 | Lin Tsang-min (林滄敏) | 60.02% | |
Changhua County Constituency 3 | Cheng Ru-fen (鄭汝芬) | 45.33% | |
Changhua County Constituency 4 | Hsiao Ching-tien (蕭景田) | 41.26% | |
Nantou County Constituency 1 | Wu Den-yih | 67.12% | |
Nantou County Constituency 2 | Lin Ming-chen | 57.93% | |
Yunlin County Constituency 1 | Chiang Chia-chun (張嘉郡) | 56.24% | |
Yunlin County Constituency 2 | Chang Sho-wen | 49.11% | |
Chiayi County Constituency 1 | Wong Chung-chun | 57.47% | |
Chiayi County Constituency 2 | Helen Chang | 57.05% | |
Chiayi City | Chiang Yi-hsiung (江義雄) | 46.70% | |
Tainan County Constituency 1 | Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津) | 54.57% | |
Tainan County Constituency 2 | Huang Wei-cher | 59.16% | |
Tainan County Constituency 3 | Lee Chun-yee | 52.66% | |
Tainan City Constituency 1 | Chen Ting-fei | 50.27% | |
Tainan City Constituency 2 | William Lai | 51.64% | |
Kaohsiung County Constituency 1 | Chung Shao-ho | 53.55% | |
Kaohsiung County Constituency 2 | Lin Yi-shih | 55.27% | |
Kaohsiung County Constituency 3 | Chen Chi-yu (陳啟昱) | 45.13% | |
Kaohsiung County Constituency 4 | Chiang Ling-chun (江玲君) | 50.22% | |
Pingtung County Constituency 1 | Su Chen-ching (蘇震清) | 46.90% | |
Pingtung County Constituency 2 | Wang Chin-shih (王進士) | 56.82% | |
Pingtung County Constituency 3 | Pan Men-an | 51.30% | |
Hualien County | Fu Kun-chi | 66.39% | |
Taitung County | Justin Huang | 61.09% | |
Penghu County | Lin Pin-kuan | 50.71% | |
Kinmen County | Chen Fu-hai | 37.31% | |
Lienchiang County | Tsao Erh-chung | 49.72% | |
Lowland Aborigine |
Liao Kuo-tung (Kuomintang) |
||
Highland Aborigine |
Chien Tung-ming (Kuomintang) |
- Notes:
- Candidates marked are People First Party candidates running under the KMT party banner.
- Candidates marked are New Party candidates who joined the Kuomintang with New Party endorsement.
- Most names on the list follow the Tongyong Pinyin romanization used in the Central Election Committee website and may not accurately reflect the candidates' preferred romanization of their name.
Legislators elected through proportional representation and overseas Chinese ballots
edit- Notes:
- Candidates marked with a ^ are overseas Chinese candidates.
- Elected candidates are marked with a next to their name.
- Candidates with are People First Party candidates running on a joint ticket with the Kuomintang[5]。
- Green Party Taiwan candidate Wang Fang Ping is endorsed by the coalition Raging Citizens Act Now! (人民火大行動聯盟)[6]。
- Most names on the list follow the Tongyong Pinyin romanization used in the Central Election Committee website and may not accurately reflect the candidates' preferred romanization of their name.
Legislators elected through subsequent by-elections
editDate | Constituency | Outgoing member | Incoming member | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 March 2009 | Miaoli 1 | Li Yi-ting | Kang Shih-ju | ||
28 March 2009 | Taipei City 6 | Diane Lee | Chiang Nai-shin | ||
26 September 2009 | Yunlin 2 | Chang Sho-wen | Liu Chien-kuo | ||
5 December 2009 | Nantou 1 | Wu Den-yih | Ma Wen-chun | ||
9 January 2010 | Taichung County 3 | Chiang Lien-fu (江連福) | Tony Jian | ||
9 January 2010 | Taitung | Justin Huang | Lie Kuen-cheng (賴坤成) | ||
9 January 2010 | Taoyuan 2 | Liao Cheng-ching (廖正井) | Kuo June-tsung (郭榮宗) | ||
27 February 2010 | Chiayi County 2 | Helen Chang | Chen Ming-wen | ||
27 February 2010 | Taoyuan 3 | John Wu | Huang Jen-shu (黃仁杼) | ||
27 February 2010 | Hsinchu County | Chiu Ching-chun | Perng Shaw-jiin | ||
27 February 2010 | Hualien | Fu Kun-chi | 王廷升 | ||
5 March 2011 | Kaohsiung 4
(Kaohsiung County 3 in 2008) |
Chen Chi-yu (陳啟昱) | Lin Tai-hua (林岱樺) | ||
5 March 2011 | Tainan 4 (Tainan City 2 in 2008) | William Lai | Hsu Tain-tsair |
Impact
editWith this election the KMT and the Pan-Blue Coalition have more than the two-thirds majority needed to propose a recall election of the President and if NPSU votes are counted with the pan-Blue coalition, more than the three-quarters majority needed to propose constitutional amendments.
Reaction from People's Republic of China
editThe government of People's Republic of China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan, remained largely silent on the election result. State media carried brief updates of results and passed no comment on either the referendum or the Kuomintang victory.[7]
The government of China appointed 13 representatives for Taiwan to its own National People's Congress on the same day. These delegates are mostly descendants of Taiwanese who emigrated to the Mainland, or Communist supporters who fled Taiwan. Their positions are ceremonial as the PRC do not exercise effective jurisdiction over Taiwan.[8]
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ "中選會資料庫網站". cec.gov.tw (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 30 May 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
- ^ Central Election Commission[permanent dead link]
- ^ January 31, 2007.CEC Completes Legislative Constituency Redistricting Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine. Taiwan Headlines. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
- ^ "中時電子報|最新焦點". Archived from the original on 2008-01-15. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
- ^ 謝自宗 (2007-11-20). "吳伯雄接待親民黨張顯耀等不分區立委候選人". (Independence Evening Post). Archived from the original on 2007-12-11.
- ^ 人民火大行動聯盟 - 不分區立委候選人 王芳萍簡介 Archived 2008-02-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 新华网专题报道
- ^ "China 'elects' 13 of its own representatives for Taiwan - The China Post". Archived from the original on 2008-01-15. Retrieved 2008-01-13.