Taipei: Voting commenced in Taiwan at 8 a.m. Saturday to recall seven Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers and to decide on a referendum concerning the resumption of operations at a nuclear power plant in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan.According to Focus Taiwan, this vote represents a second attempt by civil groups to remove a total of 31 out of 39 directly elected KMT legislators. The initial round, held on July 26, did not succeed in removing any of the 24 lawmakers targeted at that time.The 31 KMT legislators, elected in January 2024, hail predominantly from the northern half of Taiwan, an area traditionally supportive of the opposition. The current recall targets include Lo Ming-tsai from New Taipei City, Lin Szu-ming from Hsinchu County, Johnny Chiang, Yen Kuan-heng, Yang Chiung-ying from Taichung City, and Ma Wen-chun and Yu Hao from Nantou County. Notably, Chiang is the deputy legislative speaker.Following the 2024 elections, the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Lai Ching-te won the presidency with 4 0 percent of the vote, yet the party lost its majority in the Legislative Yuan. The KMT secured 52 seats, the DPP 51, and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) claimed eight seats. Cooperation between KMT and TPP has led to the passage of several significant bills favored by the opposition, including reductions in the central government's proposed budget, which provoked criticism from the ruling party.The recall initiatives are portrayed by civil groups as measures to shield Taiwan from the Chinese Communist Party's influence, with a goal to regain a DPP majority through by-elections. Despite the setback in July, the DPP, led by Lai, remains committed to pushing forward with the recall campaign.Alongside the recall votes, the referendum proposed by the TPP addresses the future of the No. 3 nuclear power plant. The plant, which was decommissioned in May to support the DPP's nuclear-free policy, is opposed by local residents in Pingtung due to its location on a seismic fault line, raising concerns about earthquak e risks.The success of a recall vote requires the number of supporters to exceed both the opposition and 25 percent of eligible voters in the district. Successful removal of a lawmaker mandates a by-election within three months, as announced by the Central Election Commission (CEC). Similarly, a referendum passes if "yes" votes surpass "no" votes and exceed 25 percent of total eligible voters.The CEC reminded voters to bring necessary identification and adhere to polling station rules, such as turning off mobile phones and abstaining from taking photographs. Non-compliance could result in fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$300,000. Voting will conclude at 4 p.m., followed by immediate vote counting.