2020 Taiwanese Presidential Election
TaiwanThe presidential elections in Taiwan took place on January 11, 2020, alongside the 10th Legislative Yuan election. Incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen and her running mate, former premier Lai Ching-te, both from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), emerged victorious. They defeated Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang (KMT) and his running mate Chang San-cheng, as well as third-party candidate James Soong. The win came after Tsai had resigned from her party's chairmanship following major losses in the 2018 local elections and had faced a primary challenge from Lai Ching-te. On the KMT side, Han Kuo-yu defeated former presidential candidate Eric Chu and Foxconn CEO Terry Gou in a competitive primary.
The campaign revolved around both domestic issues like labor reform and economic management as well as Cross-Strait relations. Han criticized Tsai for perceived failures in various policy areas, but Tsai's firm stance against Beijing's pressures for unification resonated with voters. This was particularly true amid the widely followed anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong. The election had a high voter turnout of 74.9%, the highest in nationwide elections since 2008. Tsai received a record-breaking 8.17 million votes, or 57.1% of the popular vote, marking the highest vote share for a DPP candidate in presidential elections.
The DPP managed to reverse the KMT's fortunes in major metropolitan areas, particularly in Kaohsiung. Meanwhile, the KMT continued to show strength in certain eastern regions and off-island constituencies. Tsai Ing-wen and Lai Ching-te were inaugurated on May 20, 2020, marking the beginning of their term.