Taiwan's mass lawmaker recall movement is hitting a pivotal moment. Deadlines for submitting second-stage petitions are approaching. If they pass, the seats of the legislators in question will proceed to a vote.
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00:00Control of the legislature. That's what Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party and main opposition Kuomintang are struggling over.
00:09The KMT, in coalition with the smaller Taiwan People's Party, has a slight majority over the DPP.
00:17And that's causing problems for the ruling party, which is hitting roadblocks in implementing its policies.
00:23Most notably, the legislature slashed the government's proposed 2025 general budget by a record of near 7 percent.
00:33Civic groups have initiated recalls against KMT legislators, while the opposition has launched recalls of their own against DPP lawmakers.
00:42All in all, 50 lawmakers around the country face takedown campaigns.
00:46Before recalls can be taken to a public vote, campaigners must complete a two-stage petition process.
00:55In the first stage, they must collect signatures from 1 percent of a lawmakers' constituency.
01:00In the second stage, that bar is raised to 10 percent.
01:04The recall movement has been going on for months now, and second-stage petition deadlines have arrived.
01:11The first deadline was last Friday, beginning with a move to recall KMT lawmaker Huang Jianbing from Taitung County.
01:20Organizers say they've submitted more than enough petitions to initiate a vote.
01:33And election officials in Taitung say they're going to do their due diligence.
01:41This all comes at a time when the KMT is questioning the system.
01:54Prosecutors have searched several KMT offices in recent weeks and detained party officials after reports surfaced that the names of dead people have shown up on recall petitions they are involved in.
02:06The KMT says the moves represent efforts by President Lai Qingde to stifle the opposition.
02:25But that hasn't stopped the recall movement.
02:28Over in Hualien County, a KMT stronghold, a recall campaign against KMT legislator and caucus whip Fu Kunxi is picking up steam.
02:39Organizers say they've received over 32,000 signatures in the second stage, well over the 20,000 threshold required to put his seat to a vote.
02:48This is not only a chance to prosecute, this is a chance to fight for the long-term political structure.
02:56It is also a chance to express the approval of the KMT's non-missive responsibility.
03:00Responding on social media, Fu says he respects the will of the people, but believes voters will choose to keep him in office.
03:09Monday is also the second stage petition deadline for KMT Deputy Speaker Johnny Jiang.
03:15Campaigners against him said they collected enough signatures and have submitted them.
03:21While this opening salvo seems worrisome for the KMT, deadlines for recalls against DPP lawmakers won't come until the end of May.
03:31Election officials also must validate every signature before an official recall vote can be called.
03:38Though the campaigns have been going on for months now, it's still relatively early to tell how the recalls will play out.
03:45And who will be in control of the legislature a year from now?
03:49Patrick Tsun and Leslie Liao for Taiwan Plus.