TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's main opposition party has announced plans for a major demonstration against the current administration. The Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's oldest political party, declared Friday (April 25) it will mobilize supporters for a peaceful protest on Ketagalan Boulevard, the ceremonial avenue facing the Presidential Office (總統府) in downtown Taipei. The rally intends to challenge President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民主進步黨), Taiwan's ruling party known for its pro-independence stance.
In the official announcement, KMT chairperson Eric Chu (朱立倫), who previously served as mayor of New Taipei City, emphasized the party's dedication to protecting constitutional principles and government accountability. Chu characterized the upcoming April 26 demonstration as transcending typical political protest. The opposition leader framed the gathering as a broader civic statement against what the KMT perceives as intimidation tactics and partisan messaging from the current administration.
The opposition party leveled serious accusations against the governing DPP, claiming it has employed extreme tactics to undermine political opponents. These allegations include misusing government authority for political persecution, initiating efforts to remove elected officials, disseminating false information, restricting media independence, and exploiting identity politics. KMT officials pointed to President Lai's reluctance to engage with opposition leadership despite his party's diminished electoral mandate in the 2024 elections, when he secured the presidency without winning a majority of votes and lost full control of the legislature.
According to the opposition, the ruling party has systematically blocked reform legislation, including proposals to restructure parliamentary procedures and revise the Act of Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法修正案), which determines how national funds are distributed to local governments. The KMT statement cited mounting public anxiety regarding judicial autonomy, referencing ongoing investigations of opposition politicians across major Taiwanese cities including Tainan, New Taipei, Taipei, Kaohsiung, and Yilan. The party also mentioned law enforcement searches of their local headquarters as evidence of political targeting.
The opposition concluded its announcement by framing the planned demonstration as a civic movement rather than partisan politics. KMT leadership portrayed the protest as responding to broader societal concerns about democratic backsliding in Taiwan. The statement positioned the party as defending fundamental principles of governance including democratic norms, legal frameworks, and long-term political stability on the self-governing island, which faces complex internal divisions alongside external pressures from neighboring China. ★
