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KMT wins Taiwan landslide

12/01/2008

The pro-Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party has won a landslide victory in Taiwan's legislative elections.

Of the 113 seats contested in the poll the KMT won 81 compared to the Democratic Progressive party's (DPP) 27.

DPP leader Chen Shui-bian immediately resigned from his post as party leader, saying he bore full responsibility for the result and felt "ashamed".

He remains Taiwanese president but today's result signals DPP leader Ma Ying-jeou is likely to replace him when an election is held to find a successor on March 22nd.

Observers say voters turned against the DPP following declines in economic growth after 2000, a disaffection partly caused by intensified tensions across the Taiwan Strait with China.

Unlike the KMT, which advocates a reconciliatory stance with Beijing, Mr Chen's administration consistently backed measures to break away from the mainland.

Claims the victory was partly due to allegations of corruption in high office appeared to have been rejected by the electorate in one of two referendums taking place today.

Single-issue ballots on corruption and whether the KMT should return assets allegedly stolen from the people in the 1950s did not attract 50 per cent turnout, rendering them invalid. Commentators said they were too openly partisan to attract majority support.