Double blow for Taiwan’s William Lai as recall votes fail, leave ruling DPP cornered
Poor showing in nuclear referendum caps summer of setbacks for Taiwanese leader and his party, prompting softer tone from Lai and reform vow
The unprecedented recall campaign, launched by pro-government civic groups and openly backed by Lai, sought to unseat 31 lawmakers from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), accusing them of obstructing policy and budget bills.
The results underscored a summer of setbacks for Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), compounded by an unexpected poor showing in a referendum to extend the life of Taiwan’s last operating nuclear plant.
The KMT and its smaller opposition ally, the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), now appear set to retain control of the legislature until at least 2028, when Taiwan holds its next legislative and leadership elections.
The recall defeats have reinforced the “minority government, majority opposition” deadlock that has hamstrung Lai since he took office in May last year, ensuring an uphill struggle for his administration in pushing through bills and budgets.
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All 24 opposition Kuomintang lawmakers in Taiwan survive mass recall campaign