Taichung mayoral contest key to Taiwan's 2016 presidential poll

All eyes are on the fiercely fought mayoral elections in the central city of Taichung this weekend, as a victory by the opposition camp in this crucial constituency could pave the way to success in the 2016 presidential election.

In the face of mounting criticism that he refuses to transfer power to the younger generation, Jason Hu Chih-chiang, 66, of the ruling Kuomintang and three-time mayor of Taichung, is fighting an uphill battle against his Democratic Progressive Party challenger Lin Chia-lung, a 50-year-old former legislator.

Opinion polls show Lin, who has joined two other DPP candidates from nearby Changhua and Nantou counties in forming a coalition, leading Hu by at least nine percentage points, despite Hu's repeated boast of his administrative performances that have boosted Taichung's developments in the past decade.

Analysts said through joint campaigning, the coalition not only helped Lin and the two other DPP candidates canvass large support from voters, but also drew a rosy picture of developments in Taichung, Changhua and Nantou in central Taiwan in the future if they were elected.

"This strategy is rather effective as voters are promised hopes of a united administration in central Taiwan, of which Taichung as a locomotive, will lead Changhua and Nantou for joint developments," said Wang Yeh-lih, a political science professor of National Taiwan University.

At the same time, Lin's popularity also helped the campaigns of Wei Ming-ko, running for the Changhua magistrate and Lee Wen-chung running for Nantou magistrate, Wang said.