TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, led by newly elected speaker Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang (KMT), is facing calls for his recall, even though existing regulations shield him from such action due to his status as an at-large legislator.
Recall would have been a possibility if Han had been a district-based legislator, but his at-large position grants him immunity from recall efforts.
The issue of recall gained immediate prominence on social media following the victory of Han and Johnny Chiang in the legislative leadership elections held on Thursday (Feb. 1).
This development marks a significant turnaround for Han, who had previously faced recall as the Mayor of Kaohsiung in 2019. His mayoral term, lasting only 528 days, set a record as the shortest in Taiwan's municipal history. His recall garnered an unprecedented 939,090 votes of approval, a milestone in Taiwan's electoral annals.
Criticism of Han's actions, which included running for the presidency shortly after assuming the Kaohsiung mayoralty in 2018 and perceived shortcomings in governance, had been voiced by groups and organizations aligned with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).