Catastrophic Effects of Recalls on KMT, as detailed by Donovan's Deep Dives
Taiwan's Political Crisis: KMT and the Recall Votes
In the heart of Taiwan's political landscape, a series of events unfolded that stirred controversy and fueled accusations of collusion between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The center of this storm was the recall votes against 31 KMT lawmakers in mid-2025, a period marked by heightened political tensions between the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition KMT.
The recall campaigners and supporters accused the KMT of being aligned with or acting as a "puppet" for the CCP. This perception was strengthened by the CCP's public praise and support of the recall efforts targeting KMT legislators, a fact that the KMT vehemently denied.
Chinese state officials and media openly backed the recall, denouncing the DPP government as authoritarian and framing the recall as a populist action. Taiwanese tycoon Robert Tsao, a leading recall campaigner tied to anti-communist efforts, stated that China’s comments helped validate that the KMT and CCP are "together," which aided the recall cause.
The KMT, however, rejected allegations of collusion, stating it neither sought nor wanted CCP backing. The party framed the recall campaign as a domestic political contest unrelated to mainland China.
Public polling and the recall campaign highlighted the perception among some Taiwanese that the KMT is “pro-CCP” or aligned with Beijing, a narrative that damaged the KMT’s popular support and led some traditional KMT military veterans to support recall votes. The KMT maintained its cross-strait stance based on the “1992 Consensus” and “One China” policy, positions criticized by recall organizers as too conciliatory toward CCP.
Amidst this political turmoil, the KMT engaged in a series of legislative maneuvers intended to seize powers constitutionally allotted to other branches of government. The party also cut and froze large portions of the budget, including critical functions related to national defense, diplomatic outreach, and even some cases to keep the lights on.
As the recall process unfolded, the KMT did not lose any of the 24 recall votes, despite indications they would lose some. The majority of KMT voters chose them because they "hated" the DPP, according to a series of polls by RW News in 2022.
Meanwhile, the KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi led a delegation of 17 party lawmakers to China in late April of last year, including some of the most outspoken pro-China legislators. Fu also skipped DPP-proposed cross-party consultations to meet more UFWD officials, further raising suspicions.
In a surprising turn of events, the KMT organized its own recalls against the DPP, which all failed spectacularly due to a lack of drive, dedication, and resources. The public did not support the KMT's attempts to manipulate voters into recalling DPP lawmakers.
The only good news for the KMT was that those 24 lawmakers are immune from further recalls for the rest of their terms. KMT Chairman Eric Chu expressed gratitude to voters for the recall votes, stating they were a victory for Taiwanese voters, not a win for the KMT or the DPP.
The recall process was a disaster for both the KMT and the DPP, with the latter facing criticism for its handling of the situation. The head of the KMT's hugely important Taipei chapter, Huang Lu Chin-ju, has pleaded guilty in voter fraud cases around the country.
In conclusion, while the KMT denies any formal cooperation with the CCP, the public perception and political messaging around these events have created strong accusations of collusion during this politically charged period. The KMT's actions and alliances, as well as the CCP's public support of the recall efforts, have contributed to this perception.
- Despite the KMT's denial of collusion with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the recall votes in Taiwan revealed a lingering public perception that the KMT might be aligned with Beijing, which is a significant issue in the broader context of education-and-self-development, general-news, and politics.
- In the midst of war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice concerns, the KMT's strategies such as seizing powers from other branches of government and engaging in voter fraud cases to manipulate the recall process have added fuel to the fire, further damaging the party's reputation and trust among the Taiwanese people.
