Second, despite the KMT winning three of the five mayoral seats, the Ma government continues to do poorly in surveys with an approval rating well under 40 percent. The Cabinet under Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) has done much better than the Mainlander dominated Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) Cabinet, but the Ma presidency has yet to implement its 2008 campaign slogan that: “Everything will be fine immediately.”
Just as voters in 2008 voted for Ma because they believed Chen’s presidency had failed, so to in 2012 voters will vote for the DPP if they believe the Ma government has failed.
Finally, the DPP must continue to focus on unity. In nominating its candidates for president and vice-president for 2012, it must choose experienced politicians with strong track records. The DPP must work for the good of Taiwan as a whole, not for the temporary benefit of some self-centered politicians, and it must continue its current trend of promoting practical policies that benefit Taiwan and its population, rather than a divisive ideology.
Repeated surveys show that the vast majority of Taiwanese agree on ideology. They value Taiwan’s democracy and they agree that Taiwan should maintain the “status quo,” which means it should remain de facto independent. This important consensus about Taiwan and its future will set the parameters for the election debates and policies in the 2012 elections.
Bruce Jacobs is a professor of Asian languages and studies and director of Monash University’s Taiwan Research Unit in Melbourne, Australia.
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