TAIPEI (TVBS News) — As Taiwan's presidential elections draw near, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) focuses on promoting its candidates and countering the Kuomintang (KMT), the main opposition party.
The DPP's strategy interestingly overlooks the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), a decision experts believe is calculated to avoid backlash.
Wang Yeh-lih, a professor at the National Taiwan University, told TVBS News, "If you knock down either side completely, it could result in strategic voting phenomena and interfere with the lead Lai Ching-te has currently maintained."
The DPP, which currently leads in polls, seems to be cautiously navigating the political landscape. Their tactic is not to alienate TPP supporters, who might then gravitate toward the KMT.
This approach is critical as the DPP aims to retain its base while attracting undecided voters. Former DPP legislator Julian Kuo emphasized the importance of boosting the party's image and regaining support from past voters.
Kuo said: "One of the strategies is to boost your own image to attract undecided voters, and another is to regain support from those who previously voted for your party. In this case, it would mean those who supported Tsai Ing-wen in the 2020 election. Tsai managed to secure 57% of the popular vote in 2020, but right now, Lai is only at 37-38%."
The DPP's subtle support of the TPP seems crucial for maintaining its lead. The possible withdrawal of TPP's Ko Wen-Je could shift his supporters towards the KMT, a scenario the DPP aims to avoid. The DPP's strategy reflects a delicate balancing act, ensuring they remain the preferred choice while not strengthening their opponents.
