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]

Taiwan political spectrum with notable political parties[4][self-published source] | Leftists | Non-leftists

|
|

Pro-unification (pan-blue[n 1])  |

* Labor Party
* People's Democratic Party

* Kuomintang[n 2]
* People First Party
* The New Party
* Chinese Unification Promotion Party

Pro-independence (pan-green[n 3])  |

* Green Party Taiwan
* Taiwan Statebuilding Party
* New Power Party
* Social Democratic Party
* Taiwan Obasang Political Equality Party

(Taiwan independence Left)

* Democratic Progressive Party
* Taiwan Solidarity Union

Neutral  |

* Taiwan People's Party

### Parties with national or local representation

[edit]

* National representation includes the President, the Vice President, and the 113 national legislator seats in the Legislative Yuan.
* Local representation includes the 22 mayors/magistrates executive positions and 912 local legislator (councils) seats of the 6 special municipalities, 3 cities and 13 counties.

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 | Huadu
Status quo
Taiwanese statehood | Progressivism
Social liberalism
Taiwanese nationalism | LI
|  | NPP | New Power Party[II][n 3] |

0 / 113

0 / 22

6 / 910

| Claire Wang | 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 |
|  | SDP | Social Democratic Party[V] |

0 / 113

0 / 22

1 / 910

| Ting Yung-yan | Taiwanese statehood | Social democracy, Progressivism |
Pan-Green coalition total |

51 / 113

5 / 22

290 / 910

|  |  | KMT | Chinese Nationalist Party[VI]
(Kuomintang) |

54 / 113

[n 4] |

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[VII] |

0 / 113

0 / 22

7 / 910

| Lin Pin-kuan | Status quo
1992 Consensus
Unification under ROC | Third Way |
|  | PFP | People First Party[VIII] |

0 / 113

0 / 22

2 / 910

| James Soong | Status quo
1992 Consensus
Unification under ROC | Liberal conservatism |
|  | NP | New Party[IX] |

0 / 113

0 / 22

1 / 910

| Wu Cherng-dean | 1992 Consensus
One country, two systems under joint regime[9][10] | Conservatism
Chinese nationalism |
Pan-Blue coalition total |

54 / 113

14 / 22

377 / 910

|  |  | TPP | Taiwan People's Party[X] |

8 / 113

2 / 22

14 / 910

| Ko Wen-je | Status quo | Social liberalism
Populism
Civic nationalism |
|  |  | LP | Labor Party[XI] |

0 / 113

0 / 22

1 / 910

| Wu Rong-yuan | One country, two systems under PRC | Socialism
Chinese nationalism |
|  |  | ZSM | Zheng Shen Min Party[11][XII] |

0 / 113

0 / 22

1 / 910

| Hsü Jung-Tê  |  | Centrism |

## Historical parties

[edit]

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|

### Taiwan under Japanese rule

[edit]

See also: Taiwan under Japanese rule and Political parties of the Empire of Japan

Political party movements in Taiwan started in the late 1910s after World War I, during the Taishō era (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:

* Taiwan Dōkakai (Chinese: 臺灣同化會; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-oân Tông-hòa-hōe, Japanese: Taiwan Dōkakai)
* New People Society (新民會; Sin-bîn-hōe; Shinminkai)
* Taiwanese Cultural Association (臺灣文化協會; Tâi-oân Bûn-hòa Hia̍p-hōe; Taiwan Bunka Kyōkai)
* Taiwanese Federation of Workers' Unions (臺灣工友總聯盟; Tâi-oân Kang-iú Chóng Liân-bêng; Taiwan Kōyū Sōrenmei)
* Taiwanese Peasants Union (臺灣農民組合; Tâi-oân Lông-bîn Cho͘-ha̍p; Taiwan Nōmin Kumiai)
* Taiwanese Communist Party (臺灣共產黨; Tâi-oân Kiōng-sán Tóng; Taiwan Kyōsan-tō)
* Taiwanese People's Party (臺灣民眾黨; Tâi-oân Bîn-chiòng Tóng; Taiwan Minshu-tō)
* Taiwan Local Autonomy Union (臺灣地方自治聯盟; Tâi-oân Tē-hng Chū-tī Liân-bêng; Taiwan Tihō-jiti Renmei)

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:

* Rikken Seiyūkai (立憲政友会; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Li̍p-hiàn Chèng-iú-hōe)
* Kenseikai (憲政会; Hiàn-chèng-hōe)
* Rikken Minseitō (立憲民政党; Li̍p-hiàn Bîn-chèng Tóng)

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

* Imperial Rule Assistance Association (大政翼贊會, Taisei Yokusankai; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tāi-chèng-i̍k-chàn-hōe)

with its Taiwanese branch

* Imperial Subject Public Service Association (皇民奉公會; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Hông-bîn Hōng-kong-hōe)

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

### Taiwan under the Republic of China

[edit]

See also: History of Taiwan since 1945 and List of political parties in China

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.

* Kuomintang (Chinese: 中國國民黨; pinyin: Zhōngguó Guómíndǎng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tiong-kok Kok-bîn-tóng)[n 5]
* Chinese Youth Party (中國青年黨; Zhōngguó Qīngniándǎng; Tiong-kok Chheng-liân-tóng)
* China Democratic Socialist Party (中國民主社會黨; Zhōngguó Mínzhǔ Shèhuìdǎng; Tiong-kok Bîn-chú Siā-hoē-tóng)[n 6]

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

* Democratic Progressive Party (民主進步黨; Mínzhǔ Jìnbù Dǎng; Bîn-chú Chìn-pō͘ Tóng).

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

|
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

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 Pan-Green Coalition, led by Democratic Progressive Party, favors Taiwanization and the Taiwan independence movement, eventually aiming to establish a Taiwanese sovereign state.
* The Pan-Blue Coalition, led by Kuomintang, is in favor of building closer ties with mainland China and the eventual Chinese unification under the Government of the Republic of China.

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

* File a declaration to the Ministry of the Interior, AND register as a legal person to a District Court,
* Convene representative assembly or party congress at least once in a four-year period,
* Nominate candidates in national or local elections at least once in a four-year period, and
* Compliance on funding source, accounting, and financial transparency.

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]

* Taiwan portal
* Politics portal

* Conservatism in Taiwan
* Progressivism in Taiwan
* February 28 Incident
* History of Taiwan
* Economic history of Taiwan
* Politics of the Republic of China
* Political parties of the Empire of Japan
* History of political parties in China
* List of political parties by country
* List of rulers of Taiwan
* Elections in Taiwan

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Labor Party, PDP, and CUPP are not included in Pan-Blue coalition.
2. ^ Kuomintang officially supports 'Republic of China'-led unification. However, some KMT members are skeptical of Chinese unification, oppose Republic of Taiwan independence and support Republic of China independence.[5][6][7][8]
3. ^ a b NPP is being disputed as a member of Pan-Green coalition, see DPP-NPP Relationship [zh-yue].
4. ^ Including 2 independent Yuan members joining the KMT Caucus
5. ^ 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.
6. ^ 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]

1. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 民主進步黨
* Mandarin Pinyin: Mínzhǔ Jìnbù Dǎng
* Hokkien: Bîn-chú Chìn-pō͘ Tóng

2. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 時代力量
* Mandarin Pinyin: Shídài Lìliàng
* Hokkien: Sî‑tāi Le̍k‑liōng

3. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 台灣團結聯盟
* Mandarin Pinyin: Táiwān Tuánjié Liánméng
* Hokkien: Tâi-oân Thoân-kiat Liân-bêng

4. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 台灣基進
* Mandarin Pinyin: Táiwān Jījìn
* Hokkien: Tâi-oân Ki-chìn

5. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 社會民主黨
* Mandarin Pinyin: Shèhuì Mínzhǔ Dǎng
* Hokkien: Siā-hōe Bîn-chú Tóng

6. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 中國國民黨
* Mandarin Pinyin: Zhōngguó Guómíndǎng
* Hokkien: Tiong-kok Kok-bîn-tóng

7. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 無黨團結聯盟
* Mandarin Pinyin: Wúdǎng Tuánjié Liánméng
* Hokkien: Bû-tóng Thoân-kiat Liân-bêng

8. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 親民黨
* Mandarin Pinyin: Qīnmín Dǎng
* Hokkien: Chhin-bîn Tóng

9. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 新黨
* Mandarin Pinyin: Xīn Dǎng
* Hokkien: Sin Tóng

10. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 台灣民眾黨
* Mandarin Pinyin: Táiwān Mínzhòng Dǎng
* Hokkien: Tâi-oân Bîn-chiòng Tóng

11. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 勞動黨
* Mandarin Pinyin: Láodòng Dǎng
* Hokkien: Lô-tōng Tóng

12. ^

* Traditional Chinese script: 正神名黨
* Mandarin Pinyin: Zhèng Shén Míng Dǎng
* Hokkien: Chìng Sîn Bîng Tóng

## 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. ^ 台灣綠黨 (18 April 2025). 原來綠黨這麼酷！認識台灣綠黨與全球綠黨！台灣政黨二維光譜分布？ | 綠黨聊一下 EP1. Retrieved 22 April 2025 – via YouTube.
5. ^ "九二共識普拉斯（上）：國民黨內部曾提過「華獨」，為何最終沒有採用？". The News Lens (in Chinese). 27 April 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
6. ^ "Xi's Top Taiwan Hand Targets 'Hostile Forces' in Taiwan's 'Green' and 'Blue' Camps". Global Taiwan Institute. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2024. "Moreover, the blue camp's support for the "status quo," which is tantamount to de facto ROC independence, has been reinforced by the KMT's stated opposition to the "one country, two systems" (一國兩制) formula for unification, which Xi insists upon despite the debacle in Hong Kong. In fact, Wang notes that in its latest political platform, the KMT simultaneously stated its opposition to both "Taiwan independence" and "one country, two systems.""
7. ^ Kuang-hao Hou, ed. (22 July 2022). The Social Construction of the Ocean and Modern Taiwan. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-62302-4.
8. ^ "We're all pro-Taiwan independence now". Taiwan News. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
9. ^ Bernice Lee (13 September 2013). The Security Implications of the New Taiwan. Taylor & Francis. p. 1954\. ISBN 978-1-136-06212-4. "Peng, the DPP's pro-independence challenger, secured 21%, while pro-Beijing New Party candidate Ling Tang-Kang polled only 15%."
10. ^ "新黨公布"一國兩制台灣方案" (全文)" [New Party Announces "One Country, Two Systems Taiwan Proposal" (Full Text)]. CRNTT.com. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
11. ^ "正神名黨組織章程" (PDF). Ministry of the Interior. Retrieved 4 March 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Ministry of the Interior (Taiwan)
* The website of Parties and National Political Associations — Ministry of the Interior (Taiwan)
* Political Parties Act
* Document unearthed shows double-dealing of Chiang behind 228 Incident – Taiwan News

* v
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Political parties of Taiwan

Nationally represented
(Legislative Yuan seats)|

* Kuomintang (52)
* Democratic Progressive Party (51)
* Taiwan People's Party (8)

Locally represented|

* Green Party Taiwan
* Labor Party
* New Party
* New Power Party
* Non-Partisan Solidarity Union
* People First Party
* Social Democratic Party
* Taiwan Solidarity Party
* Taiwan Statebuilding Party
* Zheng Shen Min Party

Other parties|

List of political parties in Taiwan

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