‘Arrogance of power’: Taiwan’s Lai suffers sharp defeat as both recall bids fail

Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te has suffered his sharpest political defeat yet, as two waves of recall votes against opposition lawmakers collapsed in a 31-0 shutout – leaving his government cornered, his party shaken and his energy policy under siege.

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.

But voters rejected every petition, with the seven latest bids defeated on Saturday following 24 in the first round on July 26. The KMT described the outcome as the victory of the people’s will over the “arrogance of power”.

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.