Countdown to crucial elections begins

Taiwan officially kicked off 10 days of campaigning for the island's December 3 local government elections yesterday, which are being seen as a pointer to the 2008 presidential polls.

Because of a corruption scandal it had linked to the government, the pan-blue opposition camp of the Kuomintang, People First Party (PFP) and New Party stood a better chance this year, analysts said.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party has its back to the wall right from the start of the so-called three-in-one elections of city and county magistrates, township chiefs and councilors - held together for the first time to save money.

Since August, the DPP government's image as a reformist party and defender of human rights has been tarnished by a riot staged by Thai workers against inhumane treatment and then by a subway corruption scandal that was sparked by the riot.

On Monday prosecutors indicted 22 officials, including a former presidential adviser, for either allegedly profiting from the import of the workers or the subway project.

'While many DPP supporters were already fed up with the government's failure to boost the economy, the corruption scandal further increased their disappointment and made them less inclined to vote on December 3,' said political commentator Edward Chen I-hsin, a professor at Tamkang University.