Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian won last weekend's national election by a sliver. A mysterious assassination attempt on the eve of the ballot may have provided the margin of victory. The protests and charges of misconduct that followed the announcement of the results were predictable. It will take time before the controversy is resolved, but the cloud over Taiwan's politics will remain long after. Worse, the results guarantee that there will be little or no progress in cross-strait relations.

There was never doubt that last week's ballot would be close. Mr. Chen had won the presidency in 2000 because of a bitterly divided ruling party, the Kuomintang (KMT). Its leader, President Lee Teng-hui, had endorsed Mr. Chen, even though they were from different parties. The KMT had nominated the wooden and distant Mr. Lien Chan, while Mr. James Soong, a far more personable politician, was ousted from the party. With that advantage, Mr. Chen won a plurality of votes.

This time, the KMT was united. Mr. Soong was readmitted to the party, running as the No. 2 behind a "remade" Mr. Lien. They had four years of incumbency to run against, a period that had seen Taiwan's worst recession in history, virtual paralysis in relations with China and tensions with the United States, the island government's chief ally and supporter.