Thus, if the DPP’s loss in these mid-term elections is relatively small, then President Tsai and her administration will probably move forward along the current policy lines, with relatively minor adjustments. However, if the DPP’s loss is significant, then she needs to find new ways to recharge her powerbase and look for approaches that are more forward-leaning and perhaps less cautious.

As is always the case in a democracy: it is the voice of the electorate that counts. The people of Taiwan will have another opportunity to have their voice heard on November 24.

Gerrit van der Wees is a former Dutch diplomat. Between 1980 and 2016 he served as editor of Taiwan Communique. Currently, he teaches History of Taiwan at George Mason University.

Image: Reuters