TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan will conduct recall votes against 24 opposition Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) legislators Saturday (July 26) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., along with Hsinchu City's mayor from Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 台灣民眾黨). The targeted legislators represent districts across Taiwan and constitute more than one-fifth of the Legislative Yuan (立法院), Taiwan's parliament. This unprecedented recall effort could reshape the island's political landscape and legislative balance of power.
The recall campaigns target high-profile KMT figures including legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁), caucus secretary-general Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇), and her deputy Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強). Other notable targets include veteran lawmakers Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) and Lin Te-fu (林德福), both serving their seventh terms, along with four-term legislator Lu Yu-ling (呂玉玲) and KMT Deputy Secretary-General Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀).
Many Taiwanese are expected to return to their home districts this weekend to participate in the historic vote. Weather concerns loom as multiple weather systems threaten to bring rainy conditions across the region, potentially affecting voter turnout. The combination of weekend travel and uncertain weather conditions adds complexity to Taiwan's most significant recall election in recent memory.
Saturday's vote represents the culmination of Taiwan's three-stage recall procedure under the Public Officials Election and Recall Act. The process begins when campaigners gather signatures from at least 1 percent of eligible voters in a constituency. In the second stage, organizers must collect signatures from 10 percent of registered voters to trigger the final recall vote.
According to CEC data, recall bids have been filed against 35 of the KMT's 39 directly elected legislators from the Jan. 13, 2024 election, with seven additional proposals still under review by local election authorities. The timeline for completing this review process remains uncertain.
The current recall wave stems from civil society opposition to legislative measures adopted by the KMT and TPP alliance, which critics and supporters of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) argue undermine Taiwan's constitutional order and weaken defense capabilities against growing Chinese military threats. Campaigners particularly criticize opposition-backed budget cuts, including 6.6 percent reductions and 4.6 percent freezes to the central government's proposed NT$3.13 trillion (US$105.85 billion) budget for fiscal year 2025.
These measures required support from the TPP's eight legislators, who cannot be recalled because they were elected through Taiwan's party-list system rather than direct district elections. The party-list system allows voters to choose parties rather than individual candidates, creating immunity from recall procedures.
The KMT has characterized the recall movement as politically motivated, accusing the ruling DPP of using recalls to eliminate opposition. The party has urged voters to reject the initiatives to "oppose one-party dominance by the DPP" and "defend democracy." KMT-affiliated groups launched counter-recalls against 15 DPP directly elected legislators, though most failed. Only two proposals remain active in the signature-gathering phase.
The Saturday recall vote could dramatically alter the legislative power balance, as successful recalls would trigger special elections in affected districts. The Democratic Progressive Party, currently holding minority status in the 113-seat Legislature, could potentially gain sufficient seats to control both executive and legislative branches. This scenario would represent a significant shift in Taiwan's divided government structure and political dynamics. ◼