DPP acknowledges failure of mass recall campaign

Taipei, July 26 (CNA) Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Saturday acknowledged the failure of a mass legislative recall effort, framing the result as a reflection of civic engagement rather than a partisan contest.

DPP Secretary-General Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) said the recall should not be reduced to a political victory or defeat. "This was not a confrontation between parties, but a demonstration of civic power," he said at a news conference.

He added that the DPP humbly accepts the result and will reflect on public sentiment. As the ruling party, it will adjust its approach to better meet the expectations of the people.

Calling the recall campaign "unprecedented" in Taiwan's democratic history, Lin praised all voters who participated, regardless of their stance.

At a separate event in Taipei, recall campaign co-leader and retired semiconductor tycoon Robert Tsao (曹興誠) attributed the results to what he called "Beijing's pervasive influence in Taiwan."

"The scale of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) long-term infiltration and divide-and-conquer strategy is far deeper than expected," he said.

He also noted the difficulty of launching recalls in Kuomintang (KMT)-leaning districts, where high voter turnout helped KMT legislators survive the vote.

In Hualien County, where KMT lawmaker Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) was a prominent recall target, the attempt also failed, with activists admitting that the power of entrenched local networks was difficult to overcome.

The recall movement, launched by civic groups under the "Anti-Communist, Protect Taiwan" banner, targeted 24 KMT lawmakers. Despite widespread mobilization, none of the officials were removed.