In a demonstration of sliding confidence in President Chen Shui-bian's (
But while polls showed the first six months of rule had gotten off to a rocky start, strong disapproval of the presidency still fell short of 50 percent.
This is an important level because if opposition lawmakers in the Legislative Yuan hope to recall the president from office they will need this percentage for the motion to succeed. A recall vote passed in the legislature with a two-thirds vote, needs to also receive 50 percent of the public's support as well.
Chen's sinking approval comes as he faces a broad range of issues simultaneously, trying to run a country that, until he stepped into office, was run by one party for over 50 years.
His apparent inability to handle the country's rocky stock market at one of its toughest times in decades, how to deal with an outflux of local enterprises going to China to prepare for Beijing's entry into the WTO and failing to break any new ground with Taiwan's larger neighbor across the Strait over improved relations has hurt his public support.
A poll by the United Daily News reported that since May 21 -- the president's first month in office -- Chen's approval rating has gradually slid from 79 percent to 46 percent. The survey, conducted from Nov. 16 to Nov. 18, involved 1,096 adult respondents and had a margin of error of 3.01 percentage points.
Of those surveyed by United Daily News, 39 percent were dissatisfied with Chen.
Another survey by the China Times reported that during the same period, Chen's approval rating dropped from 82 percent to 51 percent. The telephone poll, conducted between Nov. 17 to Nov. 18, involved 1,029 adults and had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
The China Times showed that Chen's disapproval rate was at 35 percent.
A poll by TVBS news showed approval at 44 percent and a poll by the KMT showed approval at 42.88 percent, the lowest of the four surveys. Disapproval ratings as recorded by TVBS were at 48 percent and at 45.35 percent by the KMT.
Interestingly, while Chen's support has dwindled so has the support for opposition parties.
A United Daily News survey said that in the past half year, the KMT's approval rating has dropped from 68 percent to 30 percent. The People First Party's approval rating has plunged from 66 percent to 14 percent.
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