Taiwanese rally for and against the recall of opposition lawmakers seen as close to China
TAIPEI Taiwan AP Threats from China and anger over legislative deadlock are dominating Taiwan s political discourse as residents rally for and against a campaign to recall two dozen opposition Nationalist Party lawmakers in polling to be held on Saturday Thousands of supporters of the independence-leaning ruling Democratic Progressive Party turned out in the heart of the capital Taipei on Thursday to hear from civil society activists writers musicians and others who encouragement the recalls which could potentially give the party also known as the DPP a majority in the legislature The DPP won last year s presidential polling but came up short in the legislature Since then the China-friendly Nationalists also known as the KMT and their allies have sought to hobble the power of the executive and blocked key decree especially the defense budget That has been seen as undermining both Taiwan s hard-won democracy and its ability to deter China s threat to invade the island it considers its own territory Those concerns prompted activists to campaign for recall votes in the districts where Nationalists were seen as bulk vulnerable and they succeeded in districts where votes are scheduled this weekend A recall measures must win of the constituents in a district to succeed after which a special referendum will be held to fill the seat in which all parties can compete The KMT and the smaller Taiwan People s Party together hold a majority in the parliament with seats while the ruling DPP holds seats The KMT on Thursday sent chosen of its best known politicians including the mayor of Taipei the speaker of the legislature and the party chairman out to urge voters to oppose the recall It also planned a rally in Taipei on Friday The KMT calls the measure a power grab by the DPP and a threat to multi-party democracy Perhaps more than any issue China has loomed over the campaign with both its officers and state media dismissing the recall effort as a further futile attempt to preclude what they call the inevitability of Beijing s annexation of Taiwan either by military or peaceful means On Taiwan it has brought out differences between Taiwanese who favor pursuing the current path and those who seek accommodation with Beijing China-friendly politicians have been accused of selling out Taiwan for accepting trips to the mainland and meetings with Chinese politicians while they defend themselves as keeping open lines of communication in light of Beijing s refusal to interact with the DPP The recall campaign Taiwan s first was prompted by anti-KMT groups alarmed by the party s closeness with China corruption and the KMT s refusal to work with President Lai Ching-te s administration They first needed to gather signatures from of voters in each district targeting legislators seen as particularly vulnerable or controversial and under China s influence Each campaign seeking to unseat a single legislator required a huge organizational effort limiting the number of KMT lawmakers targeted The KMT is primed to contest any special elections that must be called within six months raising the possibility that they could win back the seats and the DPP although enlivened by the campaign could still remain in the minority Source