DPP launches recall push as KMT lawmakers face possible votes

Taipei, June 18 (CNA) The ruling and opposition parties are heading for a political showdown as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Wednesday officially launched a new campaign to support recall efforts aimed at ousting dozens of Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers.

At a news conference in Taipei, DPP Secretary-General Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) said the ruling party's officials and rank-and-file members would render their "full backing" for the recall movement, calling on the public to head to the ballot box and vote to remove KMT lawmakers.

According to Lin, the party will organize stump speeches starting June 21 and put up more than 200 billboards across Taiwan.

The announcement came a day after President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) attempt to bring together his administration, DPP officials, and opposition leaders to discuss China's threats and other national challenges went awry due to disagreements over how such talks should be held.

According to the Central Election Commission, public votes to decide the fate of up to 26 KMT lawmakers will be held on a Saturday between July 10 and Aug. 19, if recall proposals against them are confirmed to have cleared the final hurdle on Friday.

For months, the DPP has denied direct involvement in the largest wave of recall campaigns targeting its main political rivals, despite critics and scholars pointing to DPP legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming's (柯建銘) role in fueling the movement.

On Wednesday, Lin said the DPP backed the recall initiatives against KMT lawmakers because they had endorsed "pro-China" legislation in the Legislature that violated Taiwan's constitutional order and imperilled national security.

He was referring to proposals to designate Taiwan's outlying islands as "free trade" zones with China and loosen requirements for Chinese spouses to apply for permanent residency in Taiwan from six to four years, among others.

Some of the proposals mentioned by Lin, however, have been withdrawn by KMT lawmakers after public outcry.

The DPP official accused those KMT lawmakers of being "disloyal to the nation," adding that if the recall votes did not succeed, those "pro-China" bills would pose a risk to national security.

In light of the possible recall votes, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said last week the party would enter "combat mode" and launch a nationwide campaign to rally support for the party's lawmakers.

Media personality Jaw Shau-kong (趙少康), New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih's (侯友宜) running mate in the 2024 presidential election, also said Wednesday he would organize a rally in Taipei on June 21 in a show of support for the KMT.