March 20, 2000 --- Satisfied with the Electoral Result
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Satisfied with the Electoral Result

March 20, 2000 ---

A new public opinion poll has found that the majority of Taiwan people were satisfied with the result of Saturday’s presidential election.

The telephone poll of 1,363 adult residents, conducted by the United Daily News (UDN) Press Group from 5 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Saturday, found that 62.8 percent of those interviewed said they were satisfied with the electoral result.

Opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Chen Shui-bia was elected the Republic of China’s new president, with 39.3 percent of the vote. His victory marks an end to the Kuomintang’s 54-year grip on power.

According to the latest UDN poll, only 25.4 percent said they were dissatisfied with the electoral outcome.

Nevertheless, more than 60 percent of independent presidential candidate James Soong’s supporters said they felt it hard to accept Soong’s defeat with a small margin of 2.5 percent. As for KMT candidate Lien Chan’s supporters, 46.1 percent said they were satisfied with the outcome, while 42.9 percent said they were unhappy with the result.

The respondents were divided over the post-election domestic political situation. Thirty percent said they feel the political climate will become even more stable; 26.8 percent gave a pessimistic forecast; 13.1 percent said they foresee no significant changes ahead; and about 30 percent said they have no opinion.

Asked about their forecast of the impact of the electoral result on the local stock market, 35 percent said it’s hard to predict at the moment; 29.6 percent said they think the stock market will register a drastic fall on Monday; 17.5 percent said they expect a moderate drop; 10.2 percent said they think the stock index will rise slightly; 4.6 percent forecast that the stock market will remain stable; and only 3 percent predicted a significant rise in the stock index on Monday.

Survey results also show that traditional KMT supporters were divided in Saturday’s vote, with 43.5 percent voting for Soong, an ex-KMT stalwart, and 38.1 percent opting for Lien. Compared with the 1996 first-ever direct presidential election, 30 percent each of those who voted for incumbent President Lee Teng-hui, also KMT chairman, in the 1996 election cast their ballots for Soong and Chen, while Lien only “inherited” 25 percent of Lee’s supporters.

The latest poll also found that most of those who remained undecided one week before the election finally voted for Chen.

Meanwhile, Chen also garnered the lion’s share of 32.1 percent of ballots cast by those without party affiliation, compared to Soong’s 24.7 percent and Lien’s 12.3 percent. Survey results also show that Chen was the top beneficiary of Saturday’s unprecedented high voter turnout.

As much as 48.1 percent of those who didn’t vote in the previous presidential election and those who were eligible for vote for the first time said they voted for Chen, compared to Soong’s 23.2 percent and Lien’s 12.1 percent.