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In Taiwan's democratic system, all 225 seats in the Legislative Yuan
(also referred to as the Legislature) are filled every three years, with
the next election scheduled for December 11, 2004.
Although, with the re-election of President Chen Shui-bian in March, the
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) continues to control the executive
branch, it and its allied parties, which together are known as the "pan-greens," have never gained control of the Legislature. The Kuomintang (KMT), which ruled Taiwan for more than 50 years, has continued to hold control of the Legislature with the help of the People First Party (PFP) and other members of the "pan-blue" opposition alliance. Since the last legislative election in 2001, however, the opposition has held power in the Legislature by only a narrow margin.
Taiwan’s current electoral system allows many districts to have more than one representative in the Legislature, with the top vote-getters gaining seats. Voters, however, receive but one ballot each.
This could be the final election under this particular system. The Legislature has approved changes that, if passed by the National Assembly, would result in a 113-seat body. Each district would have but one legislator. Voters would be given two ballots: one for the candidates in the voter's district, and one for political parties. 73 of the seats would be filled by direct popular vote, with 34 seats being allocated to parties and 6 seats allocated to members of Taiwan's indigenous tribes. The legislators would be elected to four-year terms, one year longer than under the present system.
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