Taiwan voted to elect a new president and renew 113 seats in Parliament: polls opened at 8 am local time (1 am in Italy) and closed at 4 pm (9 am in Italy). The results of one of the most anticipated election events of 2024 are now expected in the evening hours. According to initial estimates, participation exceeded 70%, breaking a record. There are three presidential candidates.
Shortly after the counting of presidential votes began in Taiwan, after nearly 160 thousand votes were counted, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate William Lai is ahead with 39.25%, which is more than 62 thousand votes. According to the data announced by TaiwanPlus NewsHou Yu-ih is running for the KMT nationalists (who China wants under his command) with a percentage of 31.27% (49,578 votes), followed by Ko Wen-je of the third wheel People’s Party (TPP). ) with 29.48% (46,754 votes).
Tensions around the vote are high, with China blocking hashtags related to the ongoing vote on Beijing’s X social media platform Weibo. Taipei’s defense ministry said eight Chinese jets and six military ships were spotted around the island in the hours just before the vote. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked China to maintain “peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait, as the State Department itself reported in a memo. Presidential elections in Taipei are being watched closely by China and the United States: Washington is consulting with Beijing to ensure that the announcement of Taipei’s new leader does not become a pretext for a wave of military maneuvers. Relations with Beijing are not the only concern of Taiwanese voters, many of whom are more concerned with domestic issues. We explained it here.
According to the island’s central election commission, more than 30% of voters are between the ages of 20 and 39: they were the most popular segment of the population, dominating media headlines in the final stages of the election campaign and receiving numerous political commitments from parties and political parties. candidates. According to the latest polls ten days ago, the favorite will be the current vice president, William Lai of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Behind him was Hou Yu-ih, the narrowly trailing KMT nationalist candidate. Then Ko Wen-je of the People’s Party (TPP).
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
