List of political parties in Taiwan

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This article lists the political parties in the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 7 December 1949.

The organization of political parties in Taiwan is governed by the Political Parties Act, enacted on 6 December 2017. The Political Parties Act defines political parties as "political groups consisting of ROC citizens with a common political ideology who safeguard the free, democratic, constitutional order, assist in shaping the political will of the people, and nominate candidates for election to public office."[1][2]

Prior to the passage of the Political Parties Act, political organizations in Taiwan followed the Civil Associations Act, also known as the Civil Organizations Act, promulgated in 1989.[1][2] The Civil Associations Act required that groups held a convention to announce the formation of a political party, and within thirty days of the announcement, provide a list of party members and a party charter to the Ministry of the Interior.[3] Groups established when the Civil Associations Act was in effect should have revised their charters to comply with the Political Parties Act by 7 December 2019. To be compliant with the Political Parties Act, political groups must additionally convene a representative assembly or party congress for four consecutive years and have followed relevant laws and regulations governing the nomination of candidates to campaign in elections for public office for the same time period. Within one year of filing for political party status, a political group must complete legal person registration. The Ministry of the Interior requires that political parties submit annual property and financial statements. Political organizations that do not meet these regulations were dissolved and removed from the registry of political parties.[1][2]

Current parties[edit]

Parties with national or local representation[edit]

Alliance Party Legislative Yuan
(National)
Local leaders Local councillors Party leader Cross-Strait position Ideology International
affiliation
DPP Democratic Progressive Party[I]
51 / 113
5 / 22
277 / 910
Lai Ching-te Status quo

Taiwanese statehood

Progressivism
Social liberalism
Taiwanese nationalism
LI
NPP New Power Party[II]
0 / 113
0 / 22
6 / 910
Chen Jiau-hua Taiwanese statehood Progressivism
Taiwanese nationalism
TSU Taiwan Solidarity Union[III]
0 / 113
0 / 22
3 / 910
Liu Yi-te Taiwanese statehood Economic nationalism
Taiwanese nationalism
TSP Taiwan Statebuilding Party[IV]
0 / 113
0 / 22
2 / 910
Wang Hsing-huan Taiwanese statehood Progressivism
Radicalism
Taiwanese nationalism
GPT Green Party Taiwan[V]
0 / 113
0 / 22
1 / 910
Lee Keng-cheng
Chang Yu-jing
Taiwanese statehood Green politics GG
SDP Social Democratic Party[VI]
0 / 113
0 / 22
1 / 910
Ting Yung-yan Taiwanese statehood Social democracy
Pan-Green coalition total
51 / 113
5 / 22
290 / 910
KMT Chinese Nationalist Party[VII]
(Kuomintang)
54 / 113
[note 1]
14 / 22
367 / 910
Eric Chu Status quo
1992 Consensus
Unification under ROC
Conservatism
Three Principles of the People
Chinese nationalism
IDU
CDI
NPSU Non-Partisan Solidarity Union[VIII]
0 / 113
0 / 22
7 / 910
Lin Pin-kuan Status quo
1992 Consensus
Unification under ROC
Third Way
PFP People First Party[IX]
0 / 113
0 / 22
2 / 910
James Soong Status quo
1992 Consensus
Unification under ROC
Liberal conservatism
NP New Party[X]
0 / 113
0 / 22
1 / 910
Wu Cherng-dean Status quo
1992 Consensus
Unification under ROC
Conservatism
Pan-Blue coalition total
54 / 113
14 / 22
377 / 910
TPP Taiwan People's Party[XI]
8 / 113
2 / 22
14 / 910
Ko Wen-je Status quo Social liberalism
Populism
Civic nationalism
LP Labor Party[XII]
0 / 113
0 / 22
1 / 910
Wu Rong-yuan Unification under PRC Socialism
Chinese nationalism
ZSM Zheng Shen Min Party[4][XIII]
0 / 113
0 / 22
1 / 910
Hsü Jung-Tê Centrism

Full list of registered political parties[edit]

The following is a full list of registered political parties according to the Ministry of the Interior, by order of registration. Dates indicate date of founding. A large number of these political parties have been officially deregistered or dissolved.[5]

Number Name of Political Party Establishment Date Leader
1 Kuomintang (中國國民黨) 10 October 1919 Chiang Chi-chen (江啟臣)
2 Chinese Youth Party (中國青年黨) 2 December 1923 Wu Wenzhou (吳文舟)
3 China Democratic Socialist Party (中國民主社會黨) 15 August 1946 Yi Bulun (伊步倫)
4 Worker's Party of Taiwan (工黨) 1 November 1987 Zheng Zhaomin (鄭昭明)
5 China Democracy Party (中國民主黨) 14 August 1988 Shen Chaojiang (沈朝江)
6 China Democratic Justice Party (中國民主正義黨) 25 February 1988 Zhang Dazheng (張大政)
7 Chinese Republican Party (中華共和黨) 9 March 1988 Wang Yingqun (汪英群)
8 China United Party (中國聯合黨) 12 February 1989 Wang Jianquan (王健全)
9 China New Social Party (中國新社會黨) 12 November 1947 Chen Jianfu (陳健夫)
10 Chinese People's Party (中國民眾黨) 21 November 1987 Wang Zhongquan (王忠泉)
11 China Republican Party (中國中和黨) 5 April 1894 Zheng Xianglin (鄭祥麟)
12 China Integrated Party (中國統一黨) 9 March 1988 He Maosong (何茂松)
13 Integrated Democratic Party (統一民主黨) 2 March 1988 Sun Shenglian (孫生蓮)
14 China Loyalty Party (中國忠義黨) 26 March 1989 Cui Xiaoyun (崔曉雲)
15 Labor Party (勞動黨) 29 March 1989 Wu Rongyuan (吳榮元)
16 Democratic Progressive Party (民主進步黨) 28 September 1986 Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文)
17 Chinese Younger Youth Party (中華青少黨) 26 February 1989 Lai Yongqing (賴永清)
18 China Old Veterans Unification Party (中國老兵統一黨) 12 November 1988 Chen Yuzhen (陳玉珍)
19 Youth China Party (青年中國黨) 2 December 1923 Xiong Kai (熊愷)
20 Loyalty and Public Interest Party (忠義致公黨) 29 March 1989 Zhang Jinwei (張晉瑋)
21 China Democratic Youth Party (中國民主青年黨) 21 March 1953 Hong Binlu (洪炳爐)
22 China Iron Guard Party (中國鐵衛黨) 24 March 1989 Fei Jiliang (費季良)
23 China Solidarity Party (中國團結黨) 21 May 1989 Wu Zhiyi (吳志毅)
24 China Liberal Democratic Party (中國自由民主黨) 2 August 1987 Wu Kuncheng (吳崑誠)
25 China Revival Party (中國復興黨) 30 May 1989 Wang Suichun (王水村)
26 Great Harmony Party (大同黨) 20 May 1989 Wang Lianxin (江連興)
27 China National Security Party (中國國安黨) 4 June 1989 Chen Hanlong (陳漢龍)
28 China Peace Party (中國和平黨) 4 June 1989 Zhang Wenyang (張文洋)
29 China Democratic Reform Party (中國民主革新黨) 13 September 1987 Gao Zhaoxiong (高照雄)
30 Democratic Freedom Party (民主自由黨) 1 January 1989 He Weikang (何偉康)
31 Democratic Action Party (民主行動黨) 1 March 1983 Wang Minglong (王明龍)
32 China Democratic Constitutional Party (中國民主憲政黨) 15 July 1989 Chen Shou (陳首)
33 China Great Harmony Democratic Party (中國大同民主黨) 10 October 1988 Chen Hengsheng (陳恒升)
34 China Hung Ying Patriotism Party (中國洪英愛國黨) 20 July 1989 Chen Jianhong (陳建宏)
35 Great Justice and Fair Party (大公黨) 7 January 1989 Lei Yuqi (雷渝齊)
36 China Self-Strengthening Party (中國自強黨) 7 July 1989 Chen Xinfu (陳信夫)
37 China Middle and Youth Party (中國中青黨) 2 December 1923 Yan Nanchang (顏南昌)
38 Chinese Orthodox Party (中華正統黨) 25 August 1989 Feng Yue (馮岳)
39 China Democratic Integrated Party (中國民主統一黨) 26 September 1989 Xie Tiantian (謝天添)
40 China All-people National Party (中國全民黨) 30 October 1989 Liu Bao (劉豹)
41 China People's Protection Party (中國保民黨) 16 December 1989 Zhuang Zhengdong (莊正棟)
42 Peasant Party (農民黨) 3 February 1989 Zhang Mingxian (張銘顯)
43 China Justice Advocating Party (中國崇尚正義黨) 13 February 1989 Liu Haixiang (劉海洋)
44 China By The People Party (中國民治黨) 3 February 1989 Liao Zhixiong (廖志雄)
45 China Human Rights Promotion Party (中國人權促進黨) 10 October 1989 Han Weitian (韓蔚天)
46 China Civil Administration Party (中國民政黨) 31 March 1990 Lu Zhengqiu (呂振球)
47 Indigenous People's Party (原民黨) 18 March 1990 Yisao Ludao (伊掃魯刀)
48 Revival Party (中興黨) 5 April 1990 Li Xitang (李西唐)
49 China People Wealth Enrichment Party (中國民富黨) 16 April 1990 Yu Jinying (于金印)
50 Democratic Republic Party (民主共和黨) 5 May 1990 Yang Wenhua (楊文華)
51 Autonomy People's Action Party (自主民行黨) 8 May 1990 Zheng Chunlin (鄭純霖)
52 Chinese National Equal Wealth Party (中華全民均富黨) 8 May 1990 Zhang Peijiang (張沛江)
53 China Great Harmony Socialist Party (中國大同社會黨) 11 May 1990 Chen Tianfa (陳天發)
54 All is Equal Under Heaven Party (天下為公黨)[note 2] 12 July 1990 Wu Wentou (吳文投)
55 China Youth Democratic Party (中國青年民主黨) 6 August 1990 Chen Jixiong (陳秀雄)
56 Truth Party (真理黨) 18 September 1990 Xiao Zhihong (蕭志宏)
57 China Great Harmony Integrated Party (中國大同統一黨) 7 October 1990 Zhang Naiqiang (張迺強)
58 China Binying National Wealth Advancement Party (中國檳英富國黨) 5 September 1990 Zeng Kuang (曾鑛)
59 Chinese Social Democratic Party (中華社會民主黨) 1 March 1991 Ju Gau-jeng (朱高正)
60 New China Democracy Building Party (新中國民主建設黨) 25 December 1991 Peng Huabu (彭華甫)
61 China Liberal Social Party (中國自由社會黨) 13 January 1991 Huang Handong (黃漢東)
62 China Independence Party (中國自立黨) 11 May 1991 Chen Zhenduan (陳振瑞)
63 China National Welfare Party (中國全民福利黨) 28 July 1991 Di Pingyang (翟平洋)
64 China Women Party (中國婦女黨) 15 August 1991 Wu Xingren (吳心人)
65 China Women Democratic Party (中國婦女民主黨) 18 August 1991 Wu Guiru (吳貴如)
66 Non-party National Democratic League (全國民主非政黨聯盟) 16 October 1991 Ye Xianxiu (葉憲修)
67 China People's Action Party (中國人民行動黨) 28 September 1991 Ma XieLu (馬謝祿)
68 Chinese Labor Party (中華勞工黨) 25 October 1991 Xie Yuzhu (蘇玉柱)
69 Nationwide Labor Party (全國勞工黨) 1 May 1992 Zuo Jingqiu (佐靜秋)
70 Chinese Minority Race Justice Party (中華少數民族正義黨) 21 June 1992 Chen Hongjian (陳弘建)
71 Chinese Nationalist Republican Party (中華民族共和黨) 2 September 1992 Wu Zaisheng (吳再生)
72 Chinese Anqing Party (中華安青黨) 19 September 1992 Wang Zhongsan (王仲三)
73 Civil Party (公民黨) 7 March 1993 Qian Hanqing (錢漢清)
74 New Party (新黨) 10 August 1993 Yok Mu-ming (郁慕明)
75 Youth Concordance Progressive Party (青年協和進歩黨) 9 August 1994 He Naihao (柯乃豪)
76 China National Party (中國國家黨) 17 July 1995 Ren Taiqin (任台慶)
77 People's Solidarity Party (人民團結黨) 18 September 1995 Su Qiuzhen (蘇秋鎮)
78 Advance Party (先進黨) 1 January 1996 Chen Yuxiang (陳裕祥)
79 Green Party Taiwan (綠黨) 25 January 1996 Pan Hansheng (潘翰聲), Liu Lilan (劉麗蘭)
80 National Democratic Party (國家民主黨) 4 April 1996 Huang Jianyuan (黃建源)
81 Natural Law Party (自然律黨) 22 September 1996 Huang Rongsun (陳榮順)
82 Taiwan Independence Party (建國黨) 6 October 1996 Wu Jingxiang (吳景祥)
83 Chinese New People Party (中華新民黨) 18 May 1997 Gong Chunsheng (龔春生)
84 Social Reform Party (社會改革黨) 19 July 1997 Xu Yunde (徐運德)
85 Democratic Alliance (民主聯盟) 24 June 1998 Xu Chengkun (徐成焜)
86 New Nation Connection (新國家連線) 18 September 1998 Peng Pai-hsien (彭百顯)
87 Taiwan Democratic Party (台灣民主黨) 20 December 1998 Lin Yuyin (林玉印)
88 China Tiantong Party (中國天同黨) 18 April 1998 Shao Boxiang (邵伯祥)
89 Zhongshan Party (中山黨) 12 November 1999 Lu Xuewei (呂學偉)
90 People First Party (親民黨) 31 March 2000 Soong Chu-yu (宋楚瑜)
91 China Republic Democratic Party (中國共和民主黨) 12 March 2000 Lin Xiong (林雄)
92 Greater China Unification Front (大中華統一陣線) 7 July 2000 Wang Zhaozeng (王昭增)
93 New China Unification Promotion Party (新中國統一促進黨) 13 August 2000 Chen Mingxiong (陳明雄)
94 Taiwan Intelligence Action Volunteers Party (台灣慧行志工黨) 12 December 2000 Lin Chengcai (林呈財)
95 For Public Good Party (中華民族致公黨) 18 December 2000
96 Taiwan Solidarity Union (台灣團結聯盟) 12 August 2001 Liu Yi-te (劉一德)
97 Taiwan Ethnic Integration Alliance (台灣族群統一連盟) 17 August 2001
98 Taiwan Number One Party (台灣吾黨) 21 September 2001 Wei Jizhu (魏吉助)
99 China-Taiwan Public Interest Party (中國台灣致公黨) 21 April 2002 Wang Ruisheng (王瑞陞)
100 People's Wealth Enrichment Party (富民黨) 4 May 2002 Liao Wenzhi (廖文志)
101 China Democratic Call Party (中國喚民黨) 29 March 2003 Wan Qingui (萬慶貴)
102 Taiwan Democratic Worker's Party (台灣民主工黨) 27 April 2003 Xie Zhengyi (謝正一)
103 National Loyalty Party (全民忠義黨) 27 July 2003 Yang Zhangchao (楊掌朝)
104 World Peace Party (世界和平黨) 13 March 2004 Lin Jinsong (林景松)
105 Civil Service Alliance (工教聯盟) 21 March 2004 Lin Qiaofeng (林樵鋒)
107 People's Right Progressive Party (民生權利進歩黨) 3 April 2004 Chen Jianzhou (陳建州)
108 Non-Partisan Solidarity Union (無黨團結聯盟) 15 June 2004 Lin Pin-kuan (林炳坤)
109 Dignity Party (尊嚴黨) 20 June 2004 Zeng Wenda (曾穩達)
110 Republic of China Free Party (中華民國自由自在黨) 8 June 2004 Cai Mingda (蔡明達)
111 Chinese Defense League (保衛中華大同盟) 12 March 2005 Lin Zhengjie (林正杰)
112 Taiwan Defense Alliance (保衛台灣大聯盟) 1 August 2004 Yang Xudong (楊緒東)
111 Taiwanese People's Action Alliance (台灣人民行動聯盟) 23 July 2005 Huang Wenzhang (黃文章)
113 Chinese Universal Love Public Interest Party (中華博愛致公黨) 12 August 2005 Jin Lianci (金念慈)
114 Chinese Unification Promotion Party (中華統一促進黨) 12 August 2006 Zhang Futang (張馥堂)
115 China Democratic Progressive Party (中國民主進歩黨) 16 October 2005 Zhou Qinjun (周慶峻)
116 New Taiwan Party (新台灣黨) 4 July 2004 Chen Sanxing (陳三興)
117 Taiwan Independence Alliance (台灣建國聯盟) 10 December 2005 Wu Qing (吳清)
118 Taiwan Party (台灣黨) 17 July 2004 Huang Suimu (黃水木)
119 Help the Weak Alliance (濟弱扶傾聯盟) 12 April 2006 Huang Qizhi (黃啟埴)
120 Taiwan Life Party (台灣生活黨) 15 July 2006 Kang Weirang (康惟壤)
121 Non-Partisan Solidarity Union (黨外團團結聯盟) 1 September 2006 Zhang Xinsong (張幸松)
122 Hakka Party (客家黨) 14 October 2006 Wen Jinquan (溫錦泉)
123 Independent Non-partisan National League (全民廉政無黨連盟) 9 September 2006 Wang Chunyuan (王春源)
124 Taiwan New Hakka Party (台灣新客家黨) 11 February 2007 Gu Wenfa (古文發)
125 Taiwan Civil Action Party (台灣平民行動黨) 4 March 2007 Chen Zhuxian (陳祖賢)
126 National Health Alliance (全民健康聯盟) 23 March 2007 Wu Nanhe (吳南河)
127 Liberal Worker's Party (自由工黨) 1 May 2007 Wu Quanhong (吳權鴻)
128 Taiwan Nationalist Party (台灣國民黨) 27 May 2007 Liao Guoan (廖國安)
129 Taiwanese Farmers' Party (台灣農民黨) 15 June 2007 Xie Yonghui (謝永輝)
130 Taiwan Civil Democratic Party (台灣平民民主黨) 6 June 2007 Lin Zhisheng (林志昇)
131 Third Society Party (第三社會黨) 15 July 2007 Zou Yicheng (周奕成)
132 Chinese Reform Party (中華革興黨) 30 June 2007 Kang Chenming (康陳銘)
133 Save The World And Mercy Party (大道慈悲濟世黨) 22 September 2007 Wang Chongren (王崇任)
134 Home Party (紅黨) 14 October 2007 Yao Liming (姚立明)
135 Taiwan Constitution Association (制憲聯盟) 8 November 2007 Huang Qianming (黃千明)
136 Democratic Peace Party (民主和平黨) 18 November 2007 Zeng Zekun (曾澤崑)
137 Taiwan Democratic Republican Party (台灣民主共和黨) 24 November 2007 Zhou Zhenjian (周振堅)
138 World Peace Neutral Party (世界和平中立黨) 9 December 2007 Wang Kefu (王可富)
139 Taiwan National Party (台灣國家黨) 26 April 2008 Sun Zhengxiong (孫政雄)
130 Party of Native Citizens (本土公民黨) 26 April 2008 Zeng Hanhuang (曾瀚篁)
141 Health Party of the Republic of China (中華民生黨) 24 May 2008 Yi Daifu (尹載福)
142 Taiwan Communist Party (台灣共產黨) 20 July 2008 Wang Laoyang (王老養)
143 World Labor Party (世界勞工黨) 1 November 2008 Wang Chunzhang (王春長)
144 China Family Party (中華民族黨) 8 November 2008 Chen Buqing (程步青)
145 Broadcasting and Telecommunications Alliance Party (廣播電訊聯盟黨) 29 November 2008 Xu Jianchang (許見菖)
146 Radio Party of the Republic of China (中華民國廣播黨) 27 December 2008 Hong Minhui (洪明輝)
147 Cross-Strait Peace Alliance Party (海峽兩岸和平大聯盟黨) 1 March 2009 Jian Binghong (簡炳洪)
148 Communist Party of the Republic of China (中華民國共產黨) 31 March 2009 Lu Baoyao (呂寶堯)
149 Rites and Constitution Party (禮憲黨) 23 May 2009 Lan Shibo (藍世博)
150 Taiwanese Party of the People (台灣民生黨) 23 June 2009 Lai Jixiong (賴継雄)
151 Filial Piety Party (孝道黨) 11 July 2009 Huang Kelin (黃克林)
152 Chinese Women's Party (中華婦女黨) 3 August 2009 Tu Minghui (涂明慧)
153 China Communist Alliance (中國共產聯盟) 28 August 2009 Shi Fengyang (施鋒陽)
154 People are the Greatest Party (全民最大黨) 1 October 2009 Xu Rongshu (許榮淑)
155 Eastern Red Party (東方紅黨) 1 October 2009 Lin Yuansheng (林原陞)
156 Formosa Independence Rights Party (福爾摩沙法理建國黨) 6 September 2009 Cheng Zhongmo (城仲模)
157 People's Party (人民黨) 4 October 2009 Lin Feng (林豐)
158 Taiwan Democratic Communist Party (臺灣民主共產黨) 1 October 2009 Chen Tianfu (陳天福)
159 White Party (白黨) 31 October 2009 Nian Dingshan (粘丁山)
160 Phoenix Party (鳳凰黨) 27 December 2009 Hong Meizhen (洪美珍)
161 Taiwan Welfare Party (台灣福利黨) 5 February 2010 Chen Yongsong (陳永松)
162 Chinese Tiantong Party (中華天同黨) 20 February 2010 Lu Baoyao (呂寶堯)
163 Chinese Hakka Party (中華客家黨) 27 February 2010 Liu Bingsong (劉秉菘)
164 Greater China Plum Flower Party (大中華梅花黨) 5 March 2010 Huang Yuru (黃玉如)
165 Chinese Production Party (中華生產黨) 28 February 2010 Lu Yuexiang (盧月香)
166 Chinese Elite Party (中華精英黨) 21 March 2010 Wu Chenzhi (吳誠致)
167 Taiwan Ideology Party (台灣主義黨) 3 March 2010 Jiang Suilang (姜水浪)
168 China Hung Meng Public Interest Party (中國洪門致公黨) 21 May 2010 Xiao Yuanbao (蕭圓寶)
169 Taiwan Our Party (台灣我們的黨) 13 June 2010 Liu Maochuan (柳茂川)
170 Great Tao People's Party (大道人民黨) 13 June 2010 Chen Cuirong (陳翠容)
171 Taiwan Public Opinion Party (台灣民意黨) 22 August 2010 Huang Tianchen (黃天辰)
172 Taiwan Democratic Movement Party (台灣民主運動黨) 26 August 2010 Lin Fenglong (林豐隆)
173 Taiwan Small Farmer's Party (台灣小農黨) 5 September 2010 Fu Zexiong (傅澤雄)
174 Chinese Home-Nation Party (中華家國黨) 19 September 2010 Mei feng (梅峰)
175 China Social Party (中國社會黨) 12 September 2010 Zhou Jiezhi (周杰之)
176 China Construction Party (中華建設黨) 5 December 2010 Wang Geqi (王格琦)
177 Round Party (圓黨) 26 December 2010 Wen Chengxian (溫程顯)
178 Chinese Reform Party (中華維新黨) 5 December 2010 Chen Kunneng (陳坤能)
179 Voices of the Chinese Party (華聲黨) 17 October 2010 Liu Min (劉敏(台灣)
180 Third Forces Coalition (第三勢力聯盟) 12 January 2011 Sun Xiumu (孫修睦)
181 Taiwan Golden Party (臺灣黃金黨) 13 January 2011 Chi Zhengeng (池鎮庚)
182 Political Issues Alliance (政治議題聯盟) 27 February 2011 Zhou Congtang (周琮棠)
183 Global Hakka Party (世界客屬黨) 12 March 2011 Wu Quanshu (吳權塾)
184 China Green Lotus Party (中國青蓮黨) 15 March 2011 He Junyuan (何俊元)
185 Chinese Culture Party (中華文化黨) 17 March 2012 Lin Zhongshan (林忠山)
186 New Power Party (時代力量) 25 January 2015 Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明)
187 Social Democratic Party (社會民主黨) 29 March 2015 Ting Yung-yan (丁勇言)
188 Free Taiwan Party (自由台灣黨) 1 May 2015 Tsay Ting-kuei (蔡丁貴)
189 Taiwan Statebuilding Party (台灣基進) 15 May 2015 Chen Yi-chi (陳奕齊)
190 Formosa Alliance (喜樂島聯盟) 7 April 2018 Lo Jen-Kuei (羅仁貴)
191 Sovereign State for Formosa and Pescadores Party (台、澎國際法法理建國黨) 30 June 2019 Cheng Tzu-tsai (鄭自才)
192 Taiwan People's Party (台灣民眾黨) 6 August 2019 Ko Wen-je (柯文哲)
193 Taiwan Action Party Alliance (一邊一國行動黨) 18 August 2019 Yang Chyi-wen (楊其文)
194 Taiwan Renewal Party (台灣維新黨) 24 August 2019 Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智)

Historical parties[edit]

Taiwan under Japanese rule[edit]

Political party movements in Taiwan started in the late 1910s after World War I, during the Taishō period (Taishō Democracy). Taiwanese political movements at this time were to modify the discriminatory colonial laws established in earlier years, and to set up local autonomy systems like in Mainland Japan. The largest political movement at this time was the Petition Movement for the Establishment of a Taiwanese Parliament. At the same time, the International Communist Movement also influenced Taiwan, many Left-wing parties and organizations were also established.

Notable Taiwanese parties during this time are:

At the same time, the political parties in Mainland Japan also affected Taiwan. Those who served as Governor-General of Taiwan were also members of the House of Peers of the Imperial Diet (帝国議会). Party affiliations of the Governor-Generals were:

In the late 1930s, the Empire of Japan joined the Second World War. To prepare for the Pacific War, all political parties in Mainland Japan were merged by then-Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe into a single organization

with its Taiwanese branch

was the only legal political party-like organization in Taiwan until the end of World War II.

Taiwan under the Republic of China[edit]

Taiwan was ceded back to the Republic of China, founded in 1912 on the mainland, on 25 October 1945. From 1945 until 1949, political parties in China which had operated covertly under Japanese rule were permitted to operate in Taiwan province. The ruling Kuomintang set up formal branches in Taiwan, and so did other major political parties including the Chinese Communist Party (in 1946). Although it had no formal connection with the Taiwanese Communist Party suppressed by Japanese authorities in the 1930s (which was instead affiliated with the Communist Party of Japan), the Taiwan branch of the Chinese Communist Party absorbed many former members of the Taiwanese Communist Party. However, against the backdrop of the Chinese Civil War which erupted soon after the retrocession of Taiwan, the Kuomintang-controlled Republic of China government attempted to restrict the operation of Chinese Communist Party cells in Taiwan, and other opposition parties.

With the Republic of China government rapidly losing the Chinese Civil War against the Chinese Communist Party, the ruling Kuomintang began preparing to move the government to Taiwan in 1949. Taiwan was placed under martial law from 19 May 1949 to 15 July 1987. The Taiwan provincial branch of the Chinese Communist Party was particularly targeted, and by 1952 had been completely destroyed.

During this time, all forms of opposition were forbidden by the government, only three political parties that retreated to Taiwan were allowed to participate the elections.

All other oppositions who were not allowed not form a political party could only be listed as "independent candidate". These movements were called Tangwai movement (黨外, literally outside of Kuomintang). A notable exception in this era was

It was established "illegally" on 28 September 1986, then was legalized in the next year by the lifting of the martial law.

As Taiwan democratized in the late 1980s, the number of legally registered political parties in Taiwan had increased exponentially and continued to increase year by year, indicating a liberal democracy and high political freedom in Taiwan.

Number of registered political parties by year
Year 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2017 2018
No. parties 60 72 75 82 87 94 99 110 122 145 177 234 264 310 334 220

In recent decades, Taiwan's political campaigns can be classified to two ideological blocs

The majority in both coalitions state a desire to maintain the status quo for now. Many minor parties in Taiwan are unaligned with either coalition.

On 6 December 2017, the Political Parties Act (政黨法) was enforced. The Act requires the political parties to maintain a number of compliance, including

By the end of 2018, among the 343 existing political party declarations: 220 have met the new compliance, 56 chose to dissolve or transformed to a national political association.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Including 2 independent Yuan members joining the KMT Caucus
  2. ^ named after the vision 天下為公 (about the Great Unity) in the Book of Rites
  3. ^ KMT's prior body was Revive China Society (興中會; xīngzhōnghuì), founded on 24 November 1894. It officially renamed itself as China Nationalist Party (中國國民黨) in 1919.
  4. ^ The prior body of China Democratic Socialist Party (中國民主社會黨) was China National Socialist Party (中國國家社會黨), which was founded on 16 April 1932. It renamed itself as China Democratic Socialist Party (中國民主社會黨) on 15 August 1946.

Words in native languages[edit]

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References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Chen, Chun-hua; Liu, Kuan-lin (10 November 2017). "Legislature passes Political Party Act". Central News Agency. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Ku, Chuan; Kao, Evelyn (17 November 2019). "46 groups yet to transition to political parties as required by law". Central News Agency. Retrieved 18 November 2019. Republished as: "2020 ELECTIONS: MOI says 46 political groups have yet to make shift". Taipei Times. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  3. ^ "MOI releases party name information". Taipei Times. 7 February 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  4. ^ "正神名黨組織章程" (PDF). Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Ministry drops delinquent political parties from list - Taipei Times". www.taipeitimes.com. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2024.

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