KMT urges voters at anti-recall rally to defend democracy by voting 'no'

Taipei, July 25 (CNA) Less than 24 hours before recall votes targeting 24 Kuomintang (KMT) legislators begin, the main opposition party held a rally in Taipei on Friday evening, urging voters to cast "no" votes to defend Taiwan's democracy and preserve legislative oversight.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been in power for 10 consecutive years, and yet President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) is trying to "eliminate and suppress the opposition" through the mass recall campaign, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said at the rally on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office.

Lai, who also chairs the DPP, is aiming for "one-party rule and dictatorship," KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) told the crowd, which the organizer estimated at over 150,000.

"The people can get rained on, but Taiwan's democracy must not," he said to supporters who braved the pouring rain, urging them to vote against the recall to help end what he called "a political farce orchestrated by Lai."

"Let the government do its job, let Lai Ching-te reflect, let the Legislature provide proper oversight, and let the people live their lives in peace," he added.

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Backed by the DPP, the mass recall campaign -- which has so far led to recall votes being approved to decide the fate of 31 out of 39 directly elected KMT lawmakers across Taiwan -- was initiated by civic groups that are opposed to a series of legislative measures adopted by the KMT and the smaller opposition Taiwan People's Party (TPP).

The groups have claimed that the measures undermine Taiwan's constitutional order and weaken efforts to bolster its defense capabilities against a growing Chinese military threat.

The KMT has rejected those claims, arguing that its lawmakers acted in accordance with the Constitution and were exercising legitimate oversight of the executive branch.

In Taiwan's 113-seat Legislature, the KMT holds 52 seats, there are two KMT-leaning independent lawmakers, and the TPP holds eight seats, which gives the two parties a combined majority, with the DPP having 51 seats.

Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) of the KMT warned that if the mass recall campaign succeeds, "Taiwan's democracy will regress, and the DPP will become a one-party dictatorship."

He said that under such circumstances, the DPP would gain full control by eventually taking over the Legislative Yuan, having already secured power over the Presidential Office and the other four Yuan (branches of government).

"This is a complete political massacre -- wiping out all opposition lawmakers," Han said, noting that democracy requires oversight and checks on power.

Also at the Taipei rally, TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said that Taiwanese are taught from a young age that they have the freedom to disagree and hold differing opinions.

Huang called on voters to cast "no" votes to teach the DPP and Lai a lesson, saying that rejecting the recall at the ballot box will "make them reflect and allow Taiwan to continue moving forward."

In addition, suspended Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao (高虹安), a former TPP member who also faces a recall vote on Saturday, called the mass recall campaign "entirely initiated by the DPP" and urged voters to reject it.

"If a mayor is successfully recalled, there will be no by-election," Kao said, adding that the DPP-led central government could then "arbitrarily appoint an acting mayor to take over the Hsinchu City government."

Such a move, she said, would effectively strip Hsinchu residents of their right to choose their own mayor.

Recall votes against 24 KMT legislators and Kao will be held on Saturday, with polling stations open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and results expected later the same day.

A second round of recall votes targeting seven other KMT lawmakers is scheduled for Aug. 23.