TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) Legislator Wu Szu-yao (吳思瑤) on Tuesday (Jan. 7) defended a proposed recall bid as a "constitutional right," warning the opposition Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) against its use as a tool for political vendetta. Wu reiterated the DPP's confidence in their legislators' professional performance and grassroots service.
Tensions escalated between Taiwan's major political parties, the DPP and the KMT, as both sides threatened to recall each other's legislators. On Tuesday, KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) launched a campaign targeting 38 DPP regional legislators. This move came in response to DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming's (柯建銘) proposal a day earlier to remove Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), Vice Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), and 41 KMT legislators.
KMT Legislator Lai emphasized that their strategy would focus on regions where recalls are more feasible. Lai also highlighted President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) limited support, with only 40% approval, suggesting that a KMT and Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) alliance could overpower the DPP. Lai further warned the DPP that the public detests frequent elections, emphasizing that no democracy in the world operates this way. He cautioned that if the DPP proceeded with the recall efforts, it would likely risk losing more seats in the Legislative Yuan.
