Nikki Asia: Taiwan’s Lai faces tough road ahead after historic election win, DPP’s loss of legislative majority means president-elect may struggle to pass bills. 日經亞洲：台灣賴智在歷史性選舉中獲勝後面臨艱難的道路，民進黨失去立法多數意味著當選總統可能難以通過法案.

The KMT won 52 seats in the legislature, while the DPP secured 51, the TPP took eight and candidates with no party affiliation won two. Essentially, the TPP holds the balance of power in the legislature, and the DPP and KMT will have to make deals with the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) to get legislation through. 國民黨贏得立法院52席，民進黨獲得51席，跨黨派獲得8席，無黨派候選人贏得2席。 從本質上講，台灣民眾黨在立法機構中掌握著權力平衡，民進黨和國民黨必須與TPP達成協議才能通過立法.

TAIPEI — On the surface, Lai Ching-te’s victory in Saturday’s Taiwan elections was a powerful rebuff to China’s intimidation of its democratic neighbor.

The historic third-straight presidential term for his China-skeptic ruling party is an affirmation of Taiwan’s sovereignty and a rejection of Beijing hardline approach. It is also linked to the opposition Kuomintang’s (KMT) unpopular China policies and incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen’s record in office: She shored up international support for the island, weather the pandemic, and initiated major reforms such as legalizing same-sex marriage.

But Lai has two major challenges. His Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its majority in the legislature and will need backing from domestic political allies to govern effectively. Also, Taiwan’s main supporter, the U.S., is distracted by conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine and faces its own hugely consequential presidential race this autumn.

“There could well be inter-branch strife arising from checks and balances between the presidential office and the legislature,” said Michael Fahey, a Taipei-based American lawyer and commentator.