Taiwan’s opposition party scored a major victory Sunday after 24 of its China-friendly lawmakers survived an extraordinary effort to remove them from office, deepening political gridlock.
The recall campaign, unprecedented in its scale, targeted legislators accused of undermining Taiwan’s national security in favor of Beijing, which has ramped up its military and political pressure on the island.
The vote’s failure marks a setback for President Lai Ching-te, who has adopted a tougher stance toward China and hoped to use the recalls to gain a parliamentary majority.
Some Taiwanese academics argued the outcome suggests that one-size-fits-all, anti-China messaging is losing favor with voters who are more concerned about quality-of-life issues like rising costs, the Taipei Times reported.