Taiwan’s Lai likely to get more political authority amid China tussle, opposition faces recall vote

Taiwan will hold a recall vote for around one quarter of parliament’s lawmakers - all from the main opposition party - next month, the election commission said on Friday, a move which could see the ruling party take back control of the legislature.

While Lai Ching-te won the presidency last year, his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its parliamentary majority, leaving the Kuomintang (KMT) and the much smaller Taiwan People’s Party with the most seats.

The KMT and the TPP have passed a series of measures, including swingeing budget cuts, angering the DPP, though the campaigns to gather enough signatures for the recalls were led by civic groups.

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The opposition has 62 of parliament’s 113 seats and the DPP holds the remaining 51. The recall votes for 24 KMT lawmakers will take place on July 26, the election commission said.

The DPP has given full support for the recalls, releasing a video this week calling on people to vote yes and “oppose the communists” - a direct reference to China and what the party says is the opposition’s dangerous cosying up to Beijing.

The KMT has vowed to fight what it calls a “malicious recall” that comes so soon after the last parliamentary election in January 2024.

“The KMT calls on the people of Taiwan to oppose the green communists and fight against dictatorship, and vote ’no’,” the party said in a statement after the recall vote was announced, referring to the DPP’s party colours.

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The KMT says its engagement with China, which views separately-governed Taiwan as its own territory, is needed to keep channels of communication open and reduce tensions.

China has rejected multiple offers of talks from Lai, branding him a “separatist”, and has increased military pressure against the island.

Recall campaigns against DPP lawmakers failed to gather enough valid signatures.

For the recalls to be successful, the number of votes approving the measure must be more than those opposing it, and also exceed one-quarter of the number of registered voters in the constituency, so turnout will be important.

If the recall votes are successful, there will be by-elections later this year to select new lawmakers.
Taiwan’s next parliamentary and presidential elections are not scheduled until early 2028.