Public trust in President Lai drops to new low, poll shows

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Amid debates over the legislative budget, a new poll released Monday (Jan. 20) by My Formosa (美麗島電子報) revealed a decline in public trust in President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), showing distrust at 40.4%, with 21.4% expressing strong distrust and 19.0% some distrust. 

The survey indicated that 53.6% of respondents trust President Lai, with 21.0% expressing strong trust and 32.6% moderate trust. Meanwhile, distrust has risen to 40.4%, with 21.4% expressing strong distrust and 19.0% some distrust. Notably, this marks the first time distrust has surpassed 40% since Lai took office. The poll also highlights a significant increase in dissatisfaction with Lai's administration, reaching a new high.

Cross-analysis reveals varying levels of trust across different demographics. Residents in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, and outlying islands, as well as those with technical education or support for the People First Party, tend to distrust Lai more than trust him. Conversely, women, residents of Taipei City, Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung, and those aged 20-29 and over 60, show higher trust levels. Among neutral voters, opinions remain divided, with 43.4% expressing trust and 42.3% distrust.

Regarding Lai's overall performance, 50.4% of respondents express satisfaction, though this figure has dropped by 3.0 percentage points from the previous month. Dissatisfaction has increased by 2.0 percentage points to 41.2%. This marks the first time dissatisfaction has exceeded 40% since Lai assumed office. The survey shows that residents in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, and outlying islands, as well as those aged 30-39 and 50-59, are more dissatisfied than satisfied with Lai's governance.

In contrast, Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung residents, along with those over 70 and with middle school or lower education, express over 55% satisfaction with Lai's performance. Neutral voters remain divided, with 44.3% satisfied and 40.5% dissatisfied. Among those who perceive the national economy negatively, 55.8% express dissatisfaction with Lai's administration.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) also faces mixed reviews, with 39.9% of respondents satisfied with his performance, unchanged from last month. However, dissatisfaction has slightly increased by 0.6 percentage points to 37.8%. Notably, over 20% of respondents have consistently found it challenging to evaluate Cho's performance since he took office eight months ago, with dissatisfaction reaching a new high this month.
The poll surveyed adults aged 20 and above across Taiwan's 22 counties and cities using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) from Jan. 15-17. The survey successfully completed interviews with 1,077 participants.