Taiwan will conduct a recall vote next month targeting nearly a quarter of its lawmakers, all of whom belong to the main opposition party, Kuomintang (KMT). The Central Election Commission announced on Friday that the vote will take place on July 26. If successful, this move could shift control of the legislature back to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
DPP Lost Parliament Despite Winning Presidency
Although Lai Ching-te from the DPP won the presidential election last year, his party lost its majority in the legislature. Currently, the KMT and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) hold more seats. Together, they have pushed through several controversial policies, including deep budget cuts, which have angered the DPP.
Interestingly, the recall efforts were started not by the DPP but by civic groups, although the ruling party now openly supports them.
Numbers in Parliament
Taiwan’s legislature has 113 seats. The KMT holds 62, while the DPP holds 51. All 24 lawmakers facing recall belong to the KMT. If enough of these recalls succeed, the DPP may gain back control.
DPP Urges Voters to Support Recalls
The DPP has launched a campaign encouraging people to vote in favor of the recalls. In a video released this week, the party urged voters to say “yes” and “oppose the communists,” pointing to what it describes as the opposition’s increasingly close ties with Beijing.
KMT Condemns the Move as Political Attack
The KMT sharply criticized the recall initiative. They called it a “malicious recall” and argued that it was unfair to launch such efforts just months 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 an official statement, referring to the DPP’s green party color.
