A coalition of civic groups yesterday held a motorbike parade in Taipei and New Taipei City to support a campaign to recall opposition lawmakers before a nighttime rally near the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.
Twenty-four Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers and suspended Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao (高虹安), formerly a member of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), face recall votes on July 26 and two KMT lawmakers face recall votes on Aug. 23.
Fang Po-hsiang (方柏翔), who led the campaign targeting KMT Legislator Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷), said the parade was a “show of civic strength” and recognition that Taiwanese “share a common destiny.”
Photo: CNA
The groups hope to achieve collective success in recalling all KMT lawmakers targeted in this month’s votes, Fang said.
The campaigners are stepping up their social media work and ground game, including knocking on doors, touring traditional markets and speaking publicly among other activities, he said.
The effort would ramp up until voting day, he added.
Photo: CNA
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokespeople Justin Wu (吳崢) and Cho Kuan-ting (卓冠廷) attended a separate pro-recall convoy organized by the Taiwan Anti-Communist Defense Alliance to travel throughout Taiwan proper. The motorcade traveled from Hualien to Taitung yesterday.
Wu and Cho shouted slogans, emphasizing that all loyal supporters of the Republic of China should join the recall campaign.
In Taipei, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) attended a rally opposing the recalls hosted by the KMT, accusing President William Lai (賴清德) of politicking instead of doing his job.
The DPP government is backing the recall campaign to “flip the table” to negate its defeats in last year’s legislative elections, Chu said, adding that Lai is making himself a dictator by calling his opponents “impurities.”
TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), invited by the KMT to participate in its rally, accused Lai of trying to create internal enemies and called on voters to reject the DPP at the polls by casting “No” in the recalls.
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