Taiwan held a recall vote on the 26th. The recall motions initiated against 24 Kuomintang legislators were ultimately rejected, and no case crossed the threshold.
This recall case initiated by a civil society group intends to recall 24 legislators in the constituencies of Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Keelung, Hsinchu, Yunlin, Hualien, and Taitung. The recall condition requires that the number of votes in favor is greater than the number of votes against, and the number of votes in favor reaches more than 25% of the total number of voters in the original constituency.
The recall vote began at 8:00 AM on the 26th and ended at 4:00 PM, with the ballots then being counted. The process was peaceful and smooth, with members of the public able to observe the counting.
President Lai Ching-te stated on the evening of the 26th that today's outcome is neither a victory for one side nor a defeat for the other. Recall and counter-recall are both legitimate rights of the people under the constitutional system. Despite differing positions in society, the people of Taiwan can still express their opinions and make decisions through constitutional and legal means. This is the most precious aspect of democratic Taiwan.
He said that after today, we still have many challenges, but we must prove to the world that Taiwan is a country capable of resolving internal disputes through constitutional systems, and is also a country that can unite each other with the spirit of democracy after competition.
Kuomintang Chairman Eric Chu believes that all Taiwanese people have chosen stability, and the government should act, not engage in vicious fighting. He added that today is not a victory or defeat for any political party, but a great victory for the Taiwanese people. He called on President Lai Ching-te to step forward, sincerely apologize to the people, and reflect on his actions.
Cao Xingcheng, founder of the UMC Anti-Communist and Protect Taiwan Volunteer Alliance, and one of the initiators of the recall, said that the result of this recall was not as expected. One of the main reasons was that the extent of the CCP's long-term infiltration, united front work, and division in Taiwan was far greater than imagined; another reason was that they were attacking constituencies where the blue camp outnumbered the green camp, so when the voter turnout was high, the power of the volunteers could not compete with the mobilization of the blue camp's base.
According to Central News Agency, the group that initiated the recall said that this is not the end, but a new starting point on the road to democracy. They will continue to exert the power of citizen supervision and call on legislators to cherish the opportunity given again by voters.
