Taipei: President Lai Ching-te on Saturday urged the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to actively support civil groups campaigning to recall Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers. Lai, who also chairs the DPP, emphasized at the party’s national congress that while numerous nations grow wary of China’s expanding authoritarianism, Taiwan’s defense budget and security proposals face obstruction from opposition parties.

According to Focus Taiwan, public concern over national security is on the rise, prompting civic groups to initiate a large-scale recall campaign. Lai stated, “The DPP must stand with the people and take responsibility for protecting the country.” This marks Lai’s first public appeal for DPP support of the recall, following a similar commitment by the party’s secretary-general after the Central Election Commission (CEC) scheduled a July 26 vote to unseat 24 KMT lawmakers across eight cities and counties.

Taiwan’s history of civic engagement during national crises was highlighted by Lai, citing notable movements such as the 1990 Wild Lily student movement and the 2014 Sunflower Movement. These past movements aimed at democratic reforms and opposing China-leaning policies. Lai asserted that the party must once again stand with the people to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty and democracy.

The recall campaign was launched by civil groups in response to legislative measures supported by the KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party, which they claim threaten Taiwan’s constitutional order and national defense. Besides the 24 recall bids that have met the signature threshold, seven additional targets are under review by the CEC, as the campaign aims to weaken the opposition’s majority.

Meanwhile, senior KMT figures rallied with the targeted lawmakers, urging the public to vote “no” in the July recall. KMT Chairman Eric Chu argued that abstaining from the recall vote would be akin to supporting the DPP, endangering every KMT lawmaker’s seat. Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu, at an event hosted by KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao, who is facing recall, called on supporters to back targeted lawmakers to prevent the DPP from gaining a legislative majority.

Separately, the DPP approved rules for its primary process for the 2026 mayoral and county magistrate elections at the national congress. Under the new rules, incumbent DPP mayors and county magistrates eligible for re-election will be nominated by Lai to seek another term. In regions where DPP leaders have reached the two-term limit, candidates will be selected through a primary organized by the party’s 2026 Election Strategy Committee. In areas where the DPP is not currently in power, nominations will follow standard party procedures.