Hundreds of people gathered outside the headquarters of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taipei on Sunday afternoon to urge incoming president Lai Ching-te to implement political reform and address rising house prices.
The rally was organised by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), relative newcomers to the democratic island’s political scene. During January’s presidential election, TPP candidate Ko Wen-je appealed to young Taiwanese voters, promising a “third way” between the DPP and traditional opposition party the Kuomintang (KMT). Despite losing to the DPP’s Lai Ching-te, Ko took 26.46 per cent of the vote.
Tsai served the maximum two terms and will hand over the presidency to Lai on Monday. During her tenure, she sought to establish Taiwan’s position on the international stage, and improve political and trade partnerships with key allies like the US whilst keeping Beijing at bay.
See also: Taiwan’s political precipice – Foreign policy heavyweights weigh in, as island welcomes a new leader
But no one HKFP spoke to at Sunday’s demo mentioned foreign policy. Instead, they were concerned with domestic issues.
Carol, a 36-year-old teacher from New Taipei City who declined to give her surname, told HKFP that she was in the crowd “to express our anger and [say] we want our politicians to do better.”
She voted for Tsai in 2016 and 2020, before switching her allegiance to Ko in January’s election, saying that she disagreed with Tsai’s policy. “She failed to meet our expectations,” Carol said.
“People’s lives are not good,” she continued. “Because of higher house prices in Taiwan and a high unemployment rate, people don’t have money to afford to live their lives… Even though I have worked for over 10 years, I have to rent a house, I don’t have money to afford a house. I think that’s totally different from previous generations.”
People carried sunflowers, an emblem of the 2014 student-led Sunflower Movement held aloft guavas, a pun on the Taiwanese for “unfulfilled promises.” Some, including Carol, also brandished leeks made from balloons to represent TPP lawmaker Huang Kuo-chang, a former Sunflower student leader who helped organise Sunday’s demo.
Tommy Lee, 42, said he had travelled from Taoyuan City with his daughter so that she could experience “the democracy of the people… a civil movement.”
“Half my family is from China – the north – so, I’m from the second generation in Taiwan… When I was young, I didn’t like to be too involved in political issues. On election day, my parents would just tell me to vote blue, so I did,” he continued, referring to the colour associated with the KMT.
“This year was the first time I did not vote for the blue party,” he said, adding, “I think both blue and green are not so good. It’s time for a change, for the future of our young people.”
Another former KMT voter, 55-year-old Ivy said she worried for her children’s future because of fewer job opportunities and stagnant wages.
“I have a boy and a girl, and they have no future here in Taiwan, because the government is like a company, they covet themselves and just make money,” Ivy, who lives in Taipei, told HKFP.
“If nothing changes in the next three years, I will move to another country,” she said, although she expressed some hope that the KMT and the TPP may be able to work together in the legislature to combat the DPP.
The island’s parliament on Friday descended into chaos as DPP lawmakers tried to block readings of bills they said had not been properly discussed, prompting a late-night protest outside the Legislative Yuan. Further protests have been planned for Tuesday evening.
Luke Shih, 23, a member of the TPP Youth who was giving out guavas at the entrance to Sunday’s protest, said he condemned the violence that occurred in the legislature on Friday, adding that there were other more peaceful means to express an opinion.
“You can speak out, you can come out, like us, and do something, but not in a violent way,” he said.
“I am here to express my disappointment to the government,” he continued, adding that his only hope for Lai was that he keeps his promises.
Max Lin, a 50-year-old incense seller from Nantou, said he had no more hope for the DPP.
“Eight years ago, I voted for Tsai Ing-wen, because at that time I trusted her to change the government. But, until now, she did nothing, nothing,” he said. “I chose to trust her twice. I cannot trust the DPP anymore.”
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