Ending 50 years of KMT dominance in the Legislative Yuan, the DPP gained the most seats in the Dec. 1 legislative elections, dealing a second blow to the former ruling party.
The year-end polls, which also decided mayoral and county commissioner posts in 23 counties and cities, ushered in a dramatic reshaping of the nation's political landscape.
TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
Swept from its long grip on power last year, the KMT finished a distant second with 68 seats, down from 123 in the previous legislative elections in 1998.
TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
The DPP captured 87 seats, while the People First Party (PFP) stood third with 46 seats, doubling its presence in the Legislative Yuan.
The newly-formed Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) emerged as a big winner, capturing 13 seats.
The New Party was undoubtedly the biggest loser in the legislative races. The pro-unification party retained only one seat, representing Kinmen, down from 11 in the 1998 polls.
Meanwhile, the local government elections seemed to increase the nation's political polarization.
The DPP, while suffering some setbacks, maintained its influence in southern Taiwan, while the KMT dominated the north. The DPP, which had ruled 12 of the 23 contested districts since 1997, won only nine.
The KMT, which previously controlled eight counties, was victorious in nine cities and counties. Independent candidates and the PFP captured two districts each, while the New Party took only Kinmen County.
In northern Taiwan, the KMT seized control from the DPP in six districts -- Keelung City, Taoyuan County, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu County, Taichung City and Taichung County.
From Nantou County to the southern tip of the country, the DPP racked up victories in all localities except Taichung City, Taichung County and Yunlin County.
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