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TAIPEI - Taiwan's ruling party lost ground Saturday in closely watched local elections described by analysts as a test of China-friendly President Ma Ying-jeou's performance during 19 months in office.
Ma's Kuomintang (KMT) party lost control of two counties in the poll, while the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which favours independence from the mainland, gained one.
"The outcome is not as good as we'd hoped," said a weary-looking Ma as the last votes were counted in the election, which saw contests in 17 counties and cities.
"We will continue to reform and improve the economy so the people can have better lives."
The KMT won in 12 counties and cities in Saturday's poll but with severely reduced majorities in several locations, while the DPP came out on top in four and an independent candidate was the winner in one county.
"This is a warning sign for Ma that he has been stereotyped as incompetent following the financial and typhoon crisis," said George Tsai, a political scientist at Taipei's Chinese Culture University, referring to recent troubles that have hit the island.
"On the other hand, the DPP has got a big boost in morale and will have a bigger voice in politics."
DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, a possible candidate for the presidency in 2012, described the poll as a resounding rejection of Ma's policies, which centre on improved relations with China.
"The people have cast a vote of no confidence in the Ma government. They think his government's economic policies are failing, the nation's dignity is hurt and high-ranking officials are indifferent to public opinion," she said.
The DPP's rule of Taiwan from 2000 to 2008 brought serious tensions with China, which claims the island as its territory despite having had no control here since the end of a civil war in 1949.
The relationship has improved dramatically since Ma became president, but his push for better ties has prompted suspicion among a sizeable part of the island's electorate, wary of being sucked into the mainland's orbit.
Ma's government has also come under fire for its handling of August's devastating Typhoon Morakot and for a decision to import more US beef products despite health concerns.
"I think the Ma government is doing a terrible job and Taiwan is degenerating in all respects," said a 40-year-old security guard as he cast his vote in the northern city of Keelung, requesting anonymity.
Ma, whose popularity fell to an all-time low of 16 percent during the typhoon crisis, has defended his policy of boosting ties with China as leading to future prosperity for the island.
However analysts said the electorate was putting Ma on notice and that Saturday's results signalled eroding faith in his leadership.
Police said more than 60,000 officers were on duty to prevent violence amid widespread vote-buying allegations in some hotly contested areas.
Elections in the island have long been tainted by vote-buying, and the local polls were no exception.
Justice ministry data showed prosecutors were investigating 191 cases of alleged vote-buying in local mayoral and county-level elections, and 1,239 cases in local council elections.
In the last round of local elections in 2005, the KMT, then in opposition, won a landslide victory.
- AFP/so/ir
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