Taiwan will hold a two-stage Great Recall vote on July 26 and August 23. The first round targets 24 Kuomintang (KMT) legislators and Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao; the second will involve 7 more lawmakers.
The recall drive began after the 2024 election created a split legislature. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its majority, while the KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) teamed up to push several bills. This angered some civic groups, who launched recall petitions.
Among those facing recall are KMT caucus leader Fu Kun-chi (Hualien) and young lawmaker Hsu Chiao-hsin (Taipei). Political conditions vary by district, but more than half had won over 50% of votes in 2024. Ann Kao is also facing recall over corruption allegations.
Political parties have taken clear positions. President and DPP chair Lai Ching-te said the party “must stand with the people.” The DPP slogan is: “Vote Yes to Recall, Fight Pro-China Forces,” portraying the Great Recall as a defense against pro-Beijing influence.
KMT chair Eric Chu called the campaign a “disgrace to democracy,” saying ruling parties shouldn’t use recalls to attack the opposition. TPP chair Huang Kuo-chang joined KMT events and accused the DPP of seeking “one-party rule.” China’s Taiwan Affairs Office also weighed in, calling the recalls a political purge.
According to Taiwan law, a recall must meet two conditions: more “yes” votes than “no,” and “yes” votes must be at least one-quarter of eligible voters in the district. If successful, the official is removed and barred from running for the same post in the same district for four years. If it fails, no further recall is allowed during the current term.