However, the unexpected pan-blue coalition victory in the December 2004 legislative election considerably changed the electoral landscape.

The Constitutional amendments were part of a package originally promoted by the Democratic Progressive Party, but were passed almost unanimously after compromises were made on the wording.

However, after the December elections, which returned a pan-blue majority opposed to a rapid move toward independence, the TSU reconsidered its support, and has announced its opposition to the amendments.

Following the visit by Kuomintang leader Lien Chan to mainland China and a similar trip by PFP leader James Soong, the election has been unexpectedly turned into a referendum on pan-blue and pan-green plans for relations with China.

Only the Kuomintang, the governing DPP, and the three minor party registered their support for the amendments; the others have announced objection.

[2][3] Notably, the political tendencies dubbed pan-green and pan-blue coalitions were each split down the middle in their opinions on the proposed amendments, with the dominant partner in each coalition supporting the amendments, probably because the proposed electoral system would benefit large parties.

The seats were distributed amongst the parties and coalitions based on the total number of votes garnered by each.

It wasn't until the week after the election that the Legislature agreed on the three-quarters voting threshold - when it was already clear that the parties which supported the amendments controlled more than 75% of the National Assembly.