The voting centers of Taiwan opened their doors this Saturday at 8:00 a.m. (00:00 GMT) for the holding of the presidential and legislative elections, in a context marked by the short distance between the candidates for the Presidency and by tensions with China.
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More of 19.5 million people over 20 years old They are called to the polls to participate in a vote that will last until 4:00 p.m. (08:00 GMT), when the schools will close and the recount will begin, the result of which is expected to be known tonight.
In these elections, the Taiwanese will elect president for the eighth time since the completion of the democratic transition in 1996, and will have three options: the vice president of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (PDP), William Lai (Lai Ching-te); the Kuomintang (KMT) candidate, Hou Yu-ih, and the “outsider” of the People’s Party of Taiwan (PPT), Ko Wen-je.
According to polls published until January 2, Lai is the favorite with around 35% of support, followed by Hou, with 28%, and Ko, with another 24%.
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The small margin between the candidates, added to the significant number of undecided people (12%), increases the uncertainty surrounding elections conditioned by relations of Taiwan with mainland China.
The PDP candidate has presented these elections as a struggle between “democracy” and “autocracy”, while the KMT candidate has reiterated that only an opposition victory, more inclined to dialogue with Beijing, could avoid a “war” with China.
Beijing, which considers the island governed autonomously since 1949 a rebellious province, has harshly criticized the PDP candidate in recent weeks, accusing him of being a “separatist” and “lacking moral integrity.”
During this day, the Taiwanese will also vote on the renewal of the 113 seats that make up the Legislative Yuan (Parliament), where the ruling PDP currently holds a majority of 63 legislators.
