TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said he would be open to including legislators from other parties in his cabinet if elected president in January 2024.

During an interview on the TV show Da-win Dining (大雲時堂) on Monday (Oct. 6), Lai discussed the possibility of a large number of opposition legislators being elected in January, and if he would include some in his cabinet if he won the election. “If they are talented, why not?” he said.

Lai said that during his time as Tainan mayor, he did not focus on candidates’ political backgrounds when selecting staff for his administration. Lai said whether when campaigning or in office, he hopes to bring together the largest democratic force in Taiwan.

Lai has maintained a comfortable lead in public opinion polls to date. However, the support for Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) candidates Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) and Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) combined is larger than Lai’s own.

In Taiwan, presidential candidates only need to receive more support than any other candidate to win an election, rather than a majority of all votes cast.