The Great Recall Explained by Courtney Donovan Smith
In Taiwan recall bids have been filed against 35 of the 39 Chinese Nationalist Party (the Kuomintang or KMT lawmakers who were directly elected to the legislative yuan in January, 2024. Recall campaigners have said that they want to restore order to Taiwan’s legislative yuan, by removing pro-China KMT legislators who have passed amendments to expand the legislature’s powers, undermined Taiwan’s constitutional order by paralyzing the constitutional court, cut budgets and made Taiwan vulnerable to infiltration by the Chinese Communist Party.
Just a few days ago we learned that a total of 31 KMT legislators will be up for a vote to be recalled from office. 24 on July 26 and another 7 on August 23.
Since my interview with 3 recall campaigners in episode 316, I thought it would be good to follow up with an explainer video with political commentator and analyst Courtney Donovan Smith about how the recall mechanism in Taiwan works and what led to this mass recall effort.
And in a few days from now our two-person team will be heading back to Taiwan to witness and cover the July 26th recall vote. History is being made in the only way it can be in a vibrant democracy like Taiwan!
Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
How the recall mechanism works in Taiwan
Past cases of politicians who have faced a recall vote
Factors leading to the Bluebird Movement and Recall Efforts
The expanded powers of the legislative yuan that were ruled unconstitutional
What happened to paralyze Taiwan’s constitutional court
What has motivated the people campaigning to recall KMT legislators
Why the KMT’s recall efforts against DPP legislators have failed
How Ko Wen-je’s supporters have reacted to his detainment due to corruption charges
DPP involvement with recall efforts
How some of the Kuomintang KMT have shifted from being anti-Communist China to pro-Communist China (PRC)
The historical significance of Taiwan’s mass recall votes of legislators
If the DPP is behind the recalls of KMT legislators
What happens next after the recall vote
The impact of the Sunflower Movement
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Courtney Donovan Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-donovan-smith-7ab5023/
The Outcomes of Taiwan’s 2024 Legislative Elections: https://globaltaiwan.org/2024/01/the-outcomes-of-taiwans-2024-legislative-elections/
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Progressive_Party
Kuomintang (KMT): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuomintang
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_People%27s_Party
Pan-Green Coalition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-Green_Coalition
Pan-Blue Coalition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-Blue_Coalition
Explainer: Mass slate of recall votes leaves KMT staring down disaster: https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202506210014
5 more KMT lawmakers to face recall votes on Aug. 23: CEC: https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202507180024
Two more recalls against lawmakers from DPP rejected: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2025/06/08/2003838248
Chen Po-wei Is the Latest Victim of Taiwan’s ‘Recall Revenge’: https://thediplomat.com/2021/10/chen-po-wei-is-the-latest-victim-of-taiwans-recall-revenge/
Huang Jie Successfully Avoids Recall, Though Further “Revenge Recalls” Are Likely: https://newbloommag.net/2021/02/06/huang-jie-recall/
Freddy Lim Survives Taipei Recall, Lin Ching-yi Wins Taichung By-Election in Pan-Green Win: https://newbloommag.net/2022/01/09/recall-by-election-lim-lin/
The KMT legislator’s aggressive and colorful style has earned her broad support, but it might be her undoing in the recall later this month: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2025/07/12/2003840157
For recall campaigners, Fu Kun-chi represents everything wrong with Taiwan’s politics, including his corruption and alleged ties to China: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2025/07/19/2003840536
KMT Continues Outreach to Beijing With Legislators’ Trip to China: https://thediplomat.com/2024/05/kmt-continues-outreach-to-beijing-with-legislators-trip-to-china/
Fu Kun-chi Returns from Trip to China, Touts Dividends: https://newbloommag.net/2024/04/30/fu-kun-chi-trip/
KMT lawmakers depart for China: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/04/26/2003816995
Wang Huning’s First Year Supervising the United Front System: Taiwan Policy and Discourse: https://globaltaiwan.org/2024/01/wang-hunings-first-year-supervising-the-united-front-system-taiwan-policy-and-discourse/
EXPLAINED: What is China’s United Front and how does it operate?: https://www.rfa.org/english/china/2024/11/03/china-explainer-united-front/
Taiwan’s ex-presidential candidate charged with corruption: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czd48v87md1o
Taiwan’s presidential hopeful Ko charged with bribery, misusing donations: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/26/taiwans-presidential-hopeful-ko-charged-with-bribery-misusing-donations
Detention extended for Ko Wen-je, Taipei councilor (update): https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202507210021
Ker Chien-ming: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ker_Chien-ming
Two more recalls against lawmakers from DPP rejected: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2025/06/08/2003838248
Five charged with forging recall signatures: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2025/06/17/2003838752
Former President Tsai Ing-wen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsai_Ing-wen
President Lai Ching-te (William Lai): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lai_Ching-te
Lien Chan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lien_Chan
Former President Lee Teng-hui: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Teng-hui
Sunflower Movement: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflower_Student_Movement
Courtney Donovan’s Jamestown Foundation piece:
Taiwan’s ‘Great Recall’ a Historic Bid to Overturn the Opposition’s Legislative Majority: https://jamestown.org/program/taiwans-great-recall-a-historic-bid-to-overturn-the-oppositions-legislative-majority/
The Great Recall Movement in Taiwan: A Historic Unprecedented Boots on the Ground Exercise in Democracy Ep 316: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-great-recall-movement-effort-in-taiwan-boots-on-the-ground-ep-316/
Bluebird Movement: 3 Experts Discuss the Controversial Bills Leading to Protests at the Legislative Yuan Ep 286: https://talkingtaiwan.com/bluebird-movement-3-experts-discuss-the-controversial-bills-leading-to-protests-at-the-legislative-yuan-ep-286/
Reliving the Sunflower Movement from Ground Zero: Jiho Chang Tells the Inside Story Ep 174: https://talkingtaiwan.com/reliving-the-sunflower-movement-from-ground-zero-jiho-chang-tells-the-inside-story-ep-174/
Eric Chang: On the Unfolding Situation at the Legislative Yuan during the Sunflower Movement Ep 231: https://talkingtaiwan.com/eric-chang-on-the-unfolding-situation-at-the-legislative-yuan-during-the-sunflower-movement-ep-231/
FireEx 10th Anniversary Sunflower Movement: Sam Yang Tells How “Island’s Sunrise” Became Its Anthem Ep 278: https://talkingtaiwan.com/fireex-10th-anniversary-sunflower-movement-sam-yang-tells-how-island-sunrise-became-its-anthem-ep-278/
Hsin-Tai Wu: From Cardiovascular Surgeon to Joining the Taiwan State Building Party Ep 264: https://talkingtaiwan.com/hsin-tai-wu-from-cardiovascular-surgeon-to-joining-the-taiwan-state-building-party-ep-264/
Robert Tsao, Founder of UMC Pledges to Donate USD 100 Million to Taiwan’s Military Cause Ep 229: https://talkingtaiwan.com/robert-tsao-founder-of-umc-pledges-to-donate-usd-100-million-to-taiwans-military-cause-ep-229/
