TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Candidates discussed many important issues during the campaign for the 9-in-1 elections, even though some topics remained untouched, such as extending military service or allowing more foreign visitors to Taiwan.
According to Kwei-Bo Huang, associate professor of Diplomacy at NCCU College of International Affairs, many public policies failed to become the focal points in these local elections, which is a "pity."
Issues, such as Taiwan's relations with mainland China, or our goal of joining the CPTPP or RCEP, were absent from the public debate. "Local governments have a role in there," Huang said, even though he admitted that "the central government has the final say."
If the opposition party has a big win, Huang hopes the results will give the central government and the ruling party a "warning sign" about the policies that the "general public may not that much welcome."
The results of these elections will also shape the 2024 presidential election, according to the scholar. If the ruling or an opposition party manages to win many cities and counties and control local city councils, they will impact policies at the national level and the vision of how things need or should work in Taiwan.
"Local elections have become a test for the effectiveness of the governance of the ruling party," he went on. "However, in the past, winning local elections does not mean a necessary or absolute win in the next central or presidential election."
So, we must separate these local elections and their results from future presidential and legislative elections, he continued.
A victory would likely boost the opposition Kuomintang's (KMT) morale, he explained. The party could become even more confident in its public policy platform for the upcoming presidential election.
However, if the DPP can maintain the number of cities and counties its controls in Taiwan, Huang predicted that the ruling party would also see a boost in its expectations in 2024.
In other words, the ruling and opposition parties will likely adjust their policy platforms pending the results of these local elections, making them another important milestone in Taiwan's democracy.
You can follow Dimitri Bruyas on Twitter: @dimitribruyas
