Third Party Power Stands Out from A Sea of Green in the New Legislative Yuan

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By Olivia Yang and Eric Tsai

Working together with the newly elected President Tsai Ing-wen for the next four years, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has taken majority in the Legislative Yuan with 68 seats.

But standing out from the sea of green and taking five seats in the Legislative Yuan, the New Power Party (NPP) is making a stand for the third force in Taiwan. It is said that the formation of the NPP is related closely to the Sunflower Movement, which is when a new dynamic was brought into the long stagnated Taiwanese political environment by young adults.

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The three members of the NPP that have seen victory in the geographical constituencies of the legislative election are the following:

Freddy Lim

Photo Credit: Freddie Lim’s Facebook page

Black metal star Freddy Lim took the Taipei City 5th District with 68,320 (49%). Last January, Lim and some other civic activists formed the NPP, hoping to bring more attention to democratic values and transitional justice, as well as several social issues including the legalization of same-sex marriage, indigenous land rights, the development of sustainable agriculture and so on.

Lim says, “I, Freddy Lim is about to enter the Legislative Yuan. I’m the first rock star in Asia to be in the parliament. I will enter the Legislative Yuan with my long hair and tattoos.”

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Huang Kuo-chang

Photo Credit:Huang Kuo-chang’s Facebook page

A professor of Law, Huang Kuo-chang wins in New Taipei City 12th District with 74,641 votes (51%). Huang was a key leader in the Sunflower Movement. After the occupy Legislative Yuan movement, Huang was asked to join the NPP and took the position of party chairman. Having many journals published for civil law suits, Huang speaks much of the importance of supervising the government.

Hung Tzu-yung

Photo Credit: Hung Tzu-yung’s Facebook page

Sister of Army Specialist, Hung Chung-chiu, who died due to military abuse when serving his draft in July 2013 has won in the Taichung 3rd District with 66,019 votes (54%). She defeated incumbent KMT candidate Yang Chung-ying (楊瓊櫻), who has been elected six times in a row until now.

Hung says, “I’m just a normal citizen and my victory has proved that citizens can participate in politics. They can enter the system and service the people.”

The legislative election results in the DPP taking 68 seats, KMT 35 seats, NPP five seats, PFP three seats, Non-Partisan Solidarity Union one seat and one non-partisan legislator.

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