Taiwan Voters Reject Recall, Rejecting DPP's Political Manipulation

Voters in Taiwan have rejected an attempt to recall opposition lawmakers. Experts suggest this outcome indicates that the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) political tactics are at odds with the public's desire for peace and open communication.

The Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party achieved a significant victory in the recent vote, successfully retaining all 24 seats. This outcome thwarted the DPP's efforts to alter the balance of power within the local legislature. The KMT, along with the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), currently holds a narrow majority in the legislature.

The 113-seat Taiwan legislature is composed of 52 members from the KMT, 51 from the DPP, eight from the TPP, and two independents. The recall vote, initiated by the DPP, which held a legislative majority from 2016 to 2024, aimed to remove opposition lawmakers and regain control of the legislature.

Prior to the vote, Taiwan's leader, Lai Ching-te, asserted that the island is a country and promoted anti-mainland sentiments through a series of speeches. The DPP has also hindered cross-Strait exchanges by targeting pro-mainland figures and groups, including mainland residents married to Taiwanese citizens.

Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, commented that the DPP, driven by its pursuit of "Taiwan independence" and a desire for political dominance, has repeatedly instigated political conflict at the expense of the well-being of the Taiwanese people. The DPP has employed various methods to suppress dissent, fostering social division and revealing its "fake democracy, real authoritarianism." The failure of the recall vote demonstrates that the DPP's political manipulation is contrary to the will of the people.

Xu Xiaoquan, a deputy researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Taiwan Studies, stated that the DPP authorities wrongly believed they could unite the island by inciting cross-Strait confrontation. However, their attempt to manipulate public opinion has backfired. The Taiwanese people simply want peaceful and prosperous lives. Since taking office, the Lai administration has manipulated the "two-state" fallacy and restricted cross-Strait exchanges, causing suffering among the people, who are weary of the DPP's actions.

Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, noted that the people of Taiwan demonstrated wisdom by rejecting the DPP's approaches, which could have divided society and harmed Taiwan's interests.