Taiwan candidates get theatrical in packed final leg of presidential election race

From rock concerts to yellow rubber ducks and free condoms, Taiwan’s parliamentary candidates are going to great lengths to stand out with a week to go in the island’s tightest ever race for seats.

The vote for president on January 16 is grabbing the biggest headlines, and Saturday sees a “super weekend” of rallies by rival leadership candidates.

But a record 556 hopefuls are also running to become legislators in parliamentary elections which coincide with the presidential vote, with just 113 seats up for grabs.

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The embattled ruling Kuomintang (KMT) risks losing its parliamentary majority this time, with the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) hoping to reap the benefits.

But 26 smaller parties, many of them new on the political scene, are also gunning for glory and are pulling out the stops to garner attention.

Rocker and social activist Freddy Lim of the newly formed New Power Party wooed thousands of supporters when he sang on stage with his heavy metal band ChthoniC in a recent free concert in Taipei.