New taipei: The main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), has called on its supporters to vote "no" in the upcoming recall election targeting 24 of its legislators. The party states that this action will also send a "no" message to President Lai Ching-te.

According to Focus Taiwan, Eric Chu, the chairman of the KMT, made this appeal at a rally in New Taipei's Banqiao District. Chu criticized the recall campaign, emphasizing that no leader in Taiwan's history, including Chen Shui-bian and Tsai Ing-wen, had ever initiated such a widespread recall against the opposition. He accused President Lai, who also chairs the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), of being the sole leader daring enough to undertake this action.

The recall campaign, supported by civic groups and the DPP, targets KMT legislators due to legislative measures they adopted alongside the Taiwan People's Party (TPP). These groups argue that the measures could undermine Taiwan's constitutional order and weaken its defense against Chinese military threats.

In Taiwan's 113-seat Legislature, the KMT holds 52 seats, and the TPP holds 8, forming a combined majority over the DPP's 51 seats. The recall election, set for next Saturday, will determine the fate of the 24 KMT legislators, with a subsequent recall vote for seven more KMT lawmakers scheduled for August 23.

KMT Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu described the recall election as an undemocratic move signaling dictatorship. He accused the ruling party of using state resources to target 31 opposition lawmakers and expressed concerns about potential authoritarian rule.

At a separate rally, TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang urged voters to reject the recall efforts, arguing that the actions of the DPP and President Lai go against public will. Huang emphasized the need for national leaders to foster hope and unity rather than division.