Taiwan election: William Lai is set to become Taiwan’s next president as his party secures an unprecedented third-consecutive term in office.

Fox News Digital has confirmed that Taiwan’s next leader will be William Lai, the candidate from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Despite China’s recent war talk and intimidation tactics, Taiwan’s voters stood strong and refused to be intimidated. Lai emerged victorious after a closely contested presidential election, defeating his rival from the Koumintang (KMT) party by a margin of just over 7% of the vote.
Voter turnout for this year’s election was around 69%, slightly lower than the previous election but higher than the 2016 election.

The DPP’s recent triumph signifies their third consecutive victory over the KMT, marking a historic milestone since Taiwan’s initiation of democratic elections over three decades ago. This achievement is unprecedented, as no other party has managed to maintain control for more than eight years before the electorate’s sentiment shifted, resulting in a change of power between the two major political parties.

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Chang stated that the voters have broken a long-standing pattern that has been in place since the first democratic elections in Taiwan in 1996. The presidency has been alternated between the Democratic Progressive Party, the pro-Taiwan party, and the pro-China Kuomintang Party every eight years.

According to Beijing, the people of Taiwan are considered “Chinese.” However, by voting for Lai, the Taiwanese people have made a clear declaration that they identify as Taiwanese.

Fox News Digital interviewed a woman in Kaohsiung who had traveled from California to vote in the election. She explained that she voted for Lai because his policy of promoting independence for the country was beneficial for the people. She also criticized the main opposition candidate from the KMT for being too closely aligned with China, stating that it would pose a danger to the country.

In the final weeks leading up to the election, Lai maintained a slight lead. The latest polling data, which was released more than 10 days before the vote, showed Lai with an average lead of five points over Hou, with some polls indicating a difference of just one point between them.

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After securing a comfortable lead in the early results, with Lai garnering around 43.27% compared to Hou’s 34.01% after only 10% of polling places had reported, the gap between the two candidates narrowed slightly as more results trickled in. However, this marginal decrease was not enough to give the KMT a realistic chance at victory.

During a press conference held to celebrate his triumph, Lai confidently declared, “As one of the first and most highly anticipated elections of 2024, Taiwan has achieved a resounding victory for the global community of democracies.” He went on to emphasize the significance of the election results, stating, “Today’s outcome conveys three crucial messages: Firstly, we are reaffirming our unwavering commitment to democracy in the face of authoritarianism. The Republic of China, Taiwan, will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with democracies worldwide.”

“Secondly, the Taiwanese people have successfully thwarted external attempts to influence this election through their resolute actions,” Lai continued. “We firmly believe that only the people of Taiwan possess the rightful authority to choose their own president. And lastly, by garnering the highest level of support among the three groups of candidates, we have received a clear mandate to steer the country in the right direction.”

Expressing his gratitude, Lai extended his appreciation to outgoing president Tsai Ing-wen for her dedicated service over the past eight years. He also acknowledged his rivals, commending their commitment to the spirit of democracy, as he revealed that they had conceded the election to him. Lai concluded by expressing his eagerness to collaborate harmoniously for the future of their nation.

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Hou, accompanied by prominent figures from the KMT party, addressed his supporters following the counting of 87% of the votes, which indicated that his chances of winning had diminished. Hou expressed his congratulations to Lai and emphasized the importance of working together for the benefit of Taiwan, while expressing gratitude to the voters for their support. Shortly after Hou’s concession, the third-party TPP candidate, former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je, also conceded.

Although Beijing did not explicitly state its preferred candidate, analysts identified Hou as the frontrunner, given his party’s historically favorable stance towards mainland China. Chinese officials made significant efforts to portray the election as a choice between “war and peace,” positioning Lai as a separatist who would lead Taiwan election into conflict.

The DPP’s narrow lead in the recent election marks the closest victory since the KMT’s triumph in the 2012 presidential election, where they secured a win by a margin of only 6 points. In the two subsequent elections, the DPP achieved double-digit support, enabling them to regain and maintain control of the government.

The third-party TPP candidate garnered approximately 3.3 million votes, the highest number for a third-party candidate since the 2000 presidential election.

In another significant milestone, the DPP’s vice-presidential candidate, former Taiwanese Representative to the United States Hsiao Bi-khim, became the first mixed-race candidate to hold this position. Hsiao’s mother is American.

Heino Klinck, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia and military attaché to China, previously stated that the election would likely unfold in a straightforward manner.