Taiwan Opposition Lawmakers Survive Second Recall Vote

Taiwanese voters rejected recall attempts against seven Kuomintang (KMT) opposition lawmakers in a second round of challenges aimed at shifting legislative control back to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which lost its majority in the 2024 election. This outcome follows a similar vote in July where recall efforts against 24 KMT legislators and a Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) mayor also failed. The KMT, holding a slim plurality in the legislature alongside the TPP, has frustrated the DPP’s policy agenda by forming a coalition in the legislature. In a related referendum, voters supported restarting the Maanshan nuclear power plant, closed in May during the DPP’s nuclear phase-out campaign, but the measure failed to meet the legal quorum to pass. Supporters of nuclear power argue it will stabilize energy supplies and support growing demand fueled by artificial intelligence developments, while opponents cite safety concerns due to Taiwan’s seismic risks and aging infrastructure. The political struggle highlights ongoing tensions between energy policy and legislative control in Taiwan’s complex multiparty system.