Lee Teng-hui has taken personal charge of nomination and other Kuomintang organisational matters relating to the presidential elections scheduled for 2000.
A Kuomintang (KMT) source said the ruling party's victory in Saturday's legislative, mayoral and city council polls had a direct impact on who would get the blessings of Mr Lee and other party elders for the position of its official candidate for president.
In spite of his impressive victory in the election campaign for Taipei mayor, Ma Ying-jeou was considered too green for the presidency, said the source. The source said the election results should favour Vice-President Lien Chan , a Lee crony.
'Lien is not a charismatic leader and he lacks a distinct track record,' the source said. 'However, President Lee may have been so satisfied with the achievement of the KMT election machinery on Saturday that he thinks it is safe to field Lien for 2000.' Another beneficiary from the polls is outgoing Taiwan Governor James Soong , who heads a different Kuomintang faction. Many successful candidates for the legislature are proteges of Mr Soong, who has unrivalled connections.
Media commentators in Taipei do not rule out the possibility of Mr Lee seeking a new term. They said the President might feel that his 'unfinished revolution' could only be completed with him at the helm.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) may take months to recover from the defeat it suffered at the polls. Its share of the vote in the Legislative Yuan contests slipped below 30 per cent for the first time in recent memory.