Taiwan's 2012 Presidential Election

In January 2012 Taiwan concluded elections for the presidency and legislature. Incumbent Ma Ying-jeou was re-elected and his KMT party retained a parliamentary majority, albeit both in reduced form. This article provides a brief account of the presidential election, focusing on how the campaign was fought, addressing the salient issues, and discussing the results and their implications for political competition in Taiwan and in terms of cross-Strait relations.