Green Party Taiwan is a

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

established on 25 January 1996. Although the party is sympathetic to Taiwanese nationalism and shares a number of centre-left positions with the

Pan-Green Coalition The Pan-Green coalition, Pan-Green force or Pan-Green groups is a nationalist political coalition in Taiwan (Republic of China), consisting of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan Statebuilding Party (TSP), Social Democratic Party ...

, the party emphasizes campaigning primarily on social and environmental issues. The party is not a member of, and should not be confused with, the Pan-Green Coalition. Green Party Taiwan is a member of the

Asia Pacific Greens Federation The Asia Pacific Greens Federation (APGF), formerly the Asia Pacific Greens Network, is a federation of national Green parties and related organisations in countries in the Pacific Ocean and Asia, and is one of the four Federations that constitut ...

and participates in the

Global Greens The Global Greens (GG) is an international network of political parties and movements which work to implement the Global Greens Charter. It consists of various national green political parties, partner networks, and other organizations associat ...

. Much of the 400-strong membership are affiliated with the

non-governmental organisation A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

sector of Taiwanese society, as well as from academia and the youth community.

Electoral history

In 1996, Green Party Taiwan’s

Kao Meng-ting Kao Meng-ting (; born 20 October 1954) is a Taiwanese politician. Education and early career Kao graduated from Feng Chia University and National Taiwan University. He taught at Feng Chia University and was a member of New Yunlin Radio Station ...

was elected to the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

. However, he left the party in 1997. In the 2008 legislative election, the Green Party of Taiwan formed a red-green coalition with a labour-led organization Raging Citizens Act Now! (人民火大行動聯盟), but failed to win any seats. In the 2012 legislative election, Green Party Taiwan garnered 1.7% of the party vote. While still far short of the 5% threshold to win a seat in the legislature, this makes it the largest extraparliamentary party in Taiwan. Its best showing is in

Orchid Island Orchid Island, known as Pongso no Tao by the indigenous inhabitants, is a volcanic island located off the southeastern coast of Taiwan, the island and the nearby are governed by Taiwan as in Taitung County, which is one of the county's two ...

, where Taiwan’s nuclear waste storage facility is located. There, the party collected 35.76% of the party votes due to its strong anti-nuclear stance. In the 2014 local elections, the party won two seats. Wang Hao-yu was elected to the

Taoyuan City Council The Taoyuan City Council (TYCC; ) is the elected municipal council of Taoyuan City, Republic of China (Taiwan). The council composes of 60 councillors elected once every four years by single non-transferable vote, most recently in the 2022 Taiwan ...

, and Jay Chou was elected to the

Hsinchu County Council The Hsinchu County Council (HCC; ) is the elected county council of Hsinchu County, Republic of China. The council composes of 35 councilors lastly elected through the 2022 Republic of China local election in 2022. History The council was orig ...

. In the 2016 general election, the party ran in a coalition with the newly founded centre-left

Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology. Active parties Form ...

and fielded candidates in both constituency races and the nationwide party ballot. The coalition garnered 2.5% of the party vote without winning any seats. In the 2020 legislative election, the Green Party nominated five young professionals, including famed psychologist Cheng Hui-wen and party founder

Kao Cheng-yan Kao Cheng-yan (; born October 3, 1948) is a Taiwanese computer scientist and activist who is founding chair of the Green Party Taiwan and a member of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union. Professionally, Kuo is a professor of computer scienc ...

. They got 2.4% of the votes and did not win any seats. They were the second largest party that didn’t win a seat. In the 2022 local election, the party won only one seat. was elected to the

Hsinchu City Council The Hsinchu City Council () is the elected city council of Hsinchu City, Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa' ...

. The Green Party nominated Taiwan's first transgender legislative candidate, Abbygail ET Wu (吳伊婷), in the 2024 election cycle. The party won 117,298 votes (0.85%), not enough to seat any candidate named on the Green Party list. On March 30, 2024, Liu Chong-hsian resigned from the party. This leaves the party with no members holding public office. The Green Party averages around 3% of total votes cast in metropolitan urban areas, with support in rural areas, such as

, as high as 35.8%.

List of chairpersons

(), 1996–1997 and 2003–2004 Chair. Professor of Computer Science at

National Taiwan University National Taiwan University (NTU; zh, t=國立臺灣大學, poj=Kok-li̍p Tâi-oân Tāi-ha̍k, p=, s=) is a National university, national Public university, public research university in Taipei, Taiwan. Founded in 1928 during Taiwan under J ...

; Green Party Taiwan's founding chair; former director of Taiwan Environmental Protection Union; candidate for the

Legislative Yuan The Legislative Yuan () is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China (Taiwan) located in Taipei. The Legislative Yuan is composed of 113 members, who are directly elected for four-year terms by people of the Taiwan Area through a ...

in 1998 and 2001. *Shin-Min Shih (), 1998 Chair. Professor of Chemical Engineering at National Taiwan University; President of the Institute of Environment and Resource; former Director of Taiwan Environmental Protection Union; *Kuang-Yu Chen (), 1999–2000 Chair. candidate for the

Taipei City Council Taipei City Council () is the city council of Taipei, Taiwan. One of the largest Administrative divisions of Taiwan, local councils in Taiwan, the city council is currently composed of 61 councillors, all elected most recently in the 2022 Taiw ...

in 1998. *Ayo Cheng (), 2001–2002 Chair. Dean of College of Environment and Ecology at

National University of Tainan The National University of Tainan (NUTN; ) is a university in West Central District, Tainan, Taiwan. NUTN offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across six colleges: the College of Education, the College of Humanities, the ...

; former director of Taiwan Environmental Protection Union. *Yen-Wen Peng (), 2005 Chair. Assistant professor of Public Administration and Management at

Shih Hsin University Shih Hsin University (SHU; ) is a university in Taipei, Taiwan. SHU is best known for its media and mass communication departments in Taiwan, founded in Muzha, Taipei in 1956. History Shih Hsin University was re-established in Taiwan in 1956 ...

; candidate for the Taipei City Council in 1998. *Sam Lin (), 2006 Co-chair. Former Chair of Taiwan Ecology Conservation Union. *Jolan Hsieh (), 2006 Co-chair. Assistant professor of Indigenous Culture at

National Dong Hwa University National Dong Hwa University (NDHU) is a national university, national research university located in Hualien County, Hualien, Taiwan. Established in 1994, NDHU offers sixth widest range of disciplines in Taiwan, including the sciences, engine ...

. * Mary Chen (), 2007 Co-chair. Former president of the Homemakers' Union and Foundation; former president of the National Union of Taiwan Women Association; candidate for the Legislative Yuan in 2008. Elected to the legislature in 2016 after joining the

Democratic Progressive Party The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a centre to centre-left Taiwanese nationalist political party in Taiwan. As the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition, one of the two main political camps in Taiwan, the DPP is currently the ...

. *Hung Hui-hsiang (), 2007 Co-chair. President of Pingtung Environmental Protection Union; candidate for the Legislative Yuan in 2004. *Chung Pao-chu (), 2008–2009 Co-chair. President of Hualien Environmental Protection Union; candidate for the Hualien County Councilor in 1998, 2002. *Leo Chang (), 2008–2009 Co-chair. Secretary-General of the Taiwan NPO Self-Regulation Alliance; former Secretary-General of the Society of Wildness; candidate for the Taipei City Council in 2006. *Gelinda Chang, co-chair for 2011; educator. * Robin Winkler, co-chair for 2011 and 2012; lawyer and founder of Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association; naturalised Taiwanese citizen. *

Karen Yu Yu Wan-ju ( zh, c=余宛如, p=Yú Wǎnrú, poj=Û Oán-jû; born 11 June 1980) is a Taiwanese politician. She served a single term on the Legislative Yuan as a member of the Democratic Progressive Party. Education Yu obtained her bachelor's ...

(), co-chair from 2012 to 2015; social entrepreneur and co-founder of OKOGreen café, a fair trade coffee shop. Elected to the Legislative Yuan in 2016 as a member of the Democratic Progressive Party. *Ken-cheng Lee (), co-chair from 2013 to 2017; artist, educator and founder of Citizen of the Earth Taiwan, an environmental organisation. *Chang Yu-ching (), co-chair from 2015 to 2017; environmental activist.

Notable persons

* Linda Gail Arrigo, international affairs officer for the party; ex-wife of

Shih Ming-teh Shih Ming-teh (; 15 January 1941 – 15 January 2024), commonly known as Nori Shih, was a Taiwanese statesman and human rights defender. He was once a political prisoner for 25-and-a-half years. Arrested at the age of 21 in 1962 and charged w ...

. *

Thomas Chan Thomas Shun-Kuei Chan (; born 3 January 1964) is a Taiwanese lawyer. He was deputy minister of the Environmental Protection Administration between 20 May 2016 and 8 October 2018. Education Chan obtained his bachelor's degree in law from Nation ...

(詹順貴), at-large candidate for the legislature in the 2016 election. Although not elected, he was later appointed as Deputy Minister for the

Environmental Protection Administration The Ministry of Environment (MOENV; ), formerly the Environmental Protection Administration, is a cabinet-level ministry responsible for protecting and conserving the environment in Taiwan. The ministry's scope includes air quality, noise contro ...

in the first cabinet of the

Tsai Ing-wen Tsai Ing-wen (; pinyin: ''Cài Yīngwén''; born 31 August 1956) is a Taiwanese politician and legal scholar who served as the seventh president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2016 to 2024. A member of the Democratic Progressive Party ...

administration led by Premier

Lin Chuan Lin Chuan (; born 13 December 1951) is a Taiwanese economist, lawyer, and politician who served as the Premier of the Republic of China from 2016 to 2017. He was the first cabinet head under the Tsai Ing-wen government. Before his premiership ...

. *

Peter Huang Peter Wen-shiung Huang (, also known as Peter Ng; born 2 October 1937) is a Taiwanese activist for democratization and human rights. Education Huang majored in journalism at the National Chengchi University in Taipei and then served in the m ...

(黃文雄), notable for his unsuccessful attempt to assassinate

Chiang Ching-kuo Chiang Ching-kuo (, 27 April 1910 – 13 January 1988) was a politician of the Republic of China. The eldest and only biological son of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, he held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China and ended ...

in 1970; former

National Policy Advisor National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

issues to the President of the Republic of China; avid supporter of the party since it was founded. * Pan Han-chiang ( 潘翰疆), member of the Central Supervisory Committee of the party, 1999; former deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union. He split from Green Party Taiwan in 2014 to form the

Trees Party The Trees Party () was a minor political party in Taiwan. The core ideology of the party was environmentalism, and it was commonly identified as a "third force" party belonging to neither the Pan-Blue or Pan-Green Coalitions. The party was forme ...

. *

(高孟定), who won a seat in

Yunlin County Yunlin is a Counties of Taiwan, county in Regions of Taiwan, western Taiwan. Yunlin County borders the Taiwan Strait to the west, Nantou County to the east, Changhua County to the north at the Zhuoshui River, and Chiayi County to the south at th ...

for Green Party Taiwan in the

1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...

, but later defected to the Democratic Progressive Party. * Lin Cheng-hsiu (林正修), former Research, Development and Evaluation Commission Director, Taipei City (apparently the only party member holding a public office in 2004); he ran unsuccessfully as an independent candidate in the 2004 legislative election. In 2007, Lin was a

campaign manager A campaign manager, campaign chairperson, or campaign director is an individual whose role is to coordinate a political campaign's spending, broad tactics, and hiring. They lead operations such as Campaign finance, fundraising, advertising, Opi ...

for the

Pan-Blue Coalition The Pan-Blue coalition, Pan-Blue force or Pan-Blue groups is a political coalition in the Republic of China (Taiwan) consisting of the Kuomintang (KMT), People First Party (PFP), New Party (CNP), Non-Partisan Solidarity Union (NPSU), and You ...

presidential candidate A candidate, or nominee, is a prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position. For example, one can be a candidate for membership in a group or election to an office, in which case a ...

Ma Ying-jeou Ma Ying-jeou ( zh, t=馬英九; pinyin: ''Mǎ Yīngjiǔ''; ; born 13 July 1950) is a Taiwanese politician, lawyer, and legal scholar who served as the sixth president of the Republic of China from 2008 to 2016. A member of the Kuomintang (KMT ...

. * Sinan Mavivo ( 希婻‧瑪飛洑; 賴美惠), the top candidate of the Green Party Taiwan list in the legislative election 2012, is an anti-nuclear campaigner. She is of the

Tao people The Tao people ( Yami: Tao no pongso) are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the tiny outlying Orchid Island of Taiwan. They have a maritime culture, with great ritual and spiritual significance placed on boat-building and fishing. Their way ...

from Pongso no Tao (Orchid Island). * Calvin Wen (溫炳原), a former secretary-general of the party, competed in the by-election in Daan District due to the resignation of

Diane Lee Diane Lee Ching-an (; Lee Ching-an; born 17 January 1959) is a Taiwanese former politician. She naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1991, but later relinquishment of United States nationality, relinquished U.S. citizenship. Lee, a Kuomintang mem ...

in 2009. *Rita Jhang (張竹芩), also known as Zukkim Zong and JhuCin Jhang, served as Secretary-General of Green Party Taiwan from 1 April 2020 to 31 May 2021. She is the current president of the North American Taiwan Studies Association and co-host of the feminist podcast ''Z Green Party'' (Z色派對). *Zoe Lee ( 李菁琪), current Secretary-General of Green Party Taiwan, cannabis advocate and podcaster, and Taiwan's first "weed lawyer" whose law firm only takes on clients accused of cannabis-related crimes.

Notes

References

* Dafydd Fell (2021
Taiwan's Green Parties: Alternative Politics in Taiwan
Routledge.

External links