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The election for the 6th Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China on Taiwan is scheduled for December 11, 2004. At stake will be all 225 seats: 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on the basis of the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political parties, eight elected by popular vote among the aboriginal populations. Members will serve three-year terms beginning in February 1, 2005.
Dynamics and strategies
To maintain the majority of the Pan-Blue Coalition, Kuomintang Chairman Lien Chan and People First Party James Soong proposed in May 2004 to merge their parties, though there remains opposition, especially by hardliners in the PFP and pro-Lee Teng-hui elements in the KMT not wanting to be in the same party. Currently, the KMT (which now controls just over 60 seats) plans to field 65 nominees for directly elected seats alone to preserve its status as the second largest party. The New Party is running eight candidates, the minimum number required to form a legislative caucus. Seven of those candidates will be running as candidates under the KMT banner to avoid splitting the vote though their campaigns will continue to be run by the New Party. However, one candidate--presumed to the Wu Cheng-tien of Kinmen as a "safe" district is desired--will run as a New Party candidate to signify the party's continued existence.
The leaders of the KMT, PFP, and New Party, which all share similar political views, have expressed concern over overcrowding. In 2001, the DPP won 40% of the seats even though they only polled 36% of the vote. Similarly, Negotiations between Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian have occurred, presumably over calls for the Taiwan Solidarity Union and DPP to form a coaltion government.
Single district candidates
Legislator-at-large candidates
Legislator-at-large candidates, selected to project an favorable image of their respective political parties, are usually veteran politicians with large bases of support, as in the case of former Premier Chang Chun-hsiung and Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng or non-political individuals of national prominence or expertise, such as 28-year-old Olympic medalist Huang Chih-hsiung. Candidates from the latter group are often not affiliated with the party by which they are nominated and must seek to apply.
The Democratic Progressive Party formally announced its party slate on September 21, 2004. The nomination process organized candidates into two categories: 20 from the political group, chosen by a vote among party members and through a public opinion survey, and 20 from the expert and academics group, selected by an eight-member nominating committee. The list, to be ratified at the DPP national congress on September 26, alternates nominees from the political group and the experts and academics group. The DPP estimates that it will win a minimum of 17 of the 40 at-large seats and has placed nine women in the seventeen "safe seats" and an aboriginal in the number 2 position to illustrate its committment to womens' and minority rights.
The KMT formally announced its party slate on September 22, 2004. The New Party will formally declare on September 24 that all its legislative candidates will join the December polls under the KMT banner. The KMT estimates that it will win a minimum of 14 of the at large seats.
James Soong has proposed to put himself on the People First Party slate in order to debate Chen Shui-bian and other administration officials in the legislature.
Overseas Chinese candidates
The KMT and DPP both project to win three of the eight seats reserved for overseas Chinese. The nominees are usually party loyalists residing abroad as citizens of the ROC.
zh:2004年台灣立法委員選舉
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