Last week’s mass recall votes were unsuccessful for several reasons. First, a universal NT$10,000 cash handout is quite appealing to the general public. Very few people would stop to consider whether the Legislative Yuan has the authority to pass such a measure, and even fewer would think about whether the country has the capacity to support it. What the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) could do now is focus on governance and work to improve the general public’s standard of living — this way, citizens would not be so easily enticed by the idea of getting an extra NT$10,000.
Politics is a competition between parties, but the mass recall was initiated independently by civil society groups and volunteers, who tried their best to maintain distance from the DPP. Meanwhile, the DPP had to uphold the principle that those in power should not stir up trouble — putting them at a natural disadvantage.
This is a war of infiltration, as could be seen by looking through Facebook, Douyin (抖音), Xiaohongshu (小紅書, also known as RedNote) and Xigua Video (西瓜視頻). China, in collaboration with certain people in Taiwan, is putting all of its effort into orchestrating cognitive warfare and ideological infiltration. After nine years in power, the DPP has demonstrated neither the capability nor the commitment to address these issues. If it remains unable to fight back, it would continue to lose ground.
Many Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) representatives bring money with them when attending events in their electoral districts. The government should investigate the sources of these funds. Additionally, many township heads have access to travel allowances and welfare funds, while money from unclear sources circulates throughout temples, schools and other departments. The DPP must quickly determine whether this money is coming from “red” sources, as there could exist a major underlying conspiracy.
A smaller-scale, highly focused recall effort — targeting about five to eight KMT lawmakers — would have been more suitable. After all, a recall is the ultimate weapon, and thus must be wielded with the utmost caution. This year’s mass recall was first suggested by DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), but he is known for his ability to negotiate, not to attract votes.
The DPP government must set clear administrative goals, focus on governing effectively and improve citizens’ lives. The farmers, workers, merchants and office workers who make up the majority of voters do not feel that a “mass recall” movement has much at all to do with their daily lives. The pan-green camp often criticizes the pan-blue camp as being pro-China and anti-Taiwan, but people within the DPP — even those formerly involved in ministries and the Presidential Office — have also been implicated in Chinese espionage. There is no doubt that more moles remain, and further investigation and prevention are essential. Regulations should be amended so that recall mechanisms could be applied to at-large legislative seats as well. Legislative reform is also necessary to address the issue of unequally weighted votes across legislative districts resulting from the mixed electoral system — at the very least, the severity of this imbalance must be reduced.
War has no winners, and the government — without compromising national sovereignty — should maintain a peaceful atmosphere across the Taiwan Strait, while preparing for a potential conflict. To prepare for war is to prevent war. The mass recall might not have truly failed — at the very least, the process raised awareness among Taiwanese of the importance of resisting China and protecting our nation.
Wang Chih-shao is a political consultant for the Taiwan Solidarity Union.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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