Over the past several weeks, the Beijing-friendly KMT has seen a surge in recall petitions led by pro-Lai supporters, targeting its 35 district-elected legislators. At the same time, dozens of local KMT officials have been arrested for allegedly forging documents in counter-recall efforts against Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers.
Prosecutors also raided KMT local chapter headquarters across the island – from Taipei and New Taipei to Keelung, Yilan, Taichung and Tainan – seizing stacks of documents that could be used in future legal proceedings.
Legislators from the KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) – who together have held a narrow legislative majority – have faced mounting criticism from Taiwan-centric civic groups for obstructing the Lai administration.
As the opposition has become increasingly embattled, many have questioned whether Taiwan still has a functioning opposition capable of holding the executive to account.
In one of his boldest political moves, the KMT’s chairman, Eric Chu Li-luan, led a group of party officials and lawmakers in a protest outside the Taipei District Prosecutors Office on April 17, defying repeated police warnings. The demonstration followed the arrest of the leader of the KMT’s Taipei chapter.
