Here are 3 perspectives why the Great Recall failed.
When we decided to travel back to Taiwan to cover the vote to recall 24 KMT legislators on July 26th we had no idea how things would turn out. The Great Recall (or da ba mian) as it came to be known in Taiwan, was notable not just because it led to a record number of 31 KMT legislators in total being put up for a recall vote. What was most impressive about is that it was a nationwide effort that started at a grassroots level by everyday people.
It’s been incredible to watch everything leading up to the Great Recall. Going back to last May in 2024 during what came to be known as the Bluebird Movement when tens of thousands of people and upwards of 100,000 took to the streets of Taiwan in a series of protests against controversial bills proposed in the legislative yuan. What happened during the Bluebird Movement protests is said to be what in part galvanized citizens to organize the recall campaigns.
I can’t deny that our hopes were high for the results of the July 26th recall vote and after we learned that none of the KMT legislators were successfully recalled, we did our best during the remaining days of our time in Taiwan to try to make sense of the results by talking to a number of our friends and peers.
What you’ll hear in this episode are some sound bites from conversations we had on July 30th with Rath Wang, Safe Spaces Senior Policy Fellow and Dennis Chen, Chairman of Wikimedia Taiwan. They shared their observations and thoughts on why the recalls failed, the recall campaigners and what the results of the recall vote could mean for President Lai.
Later that day I also spoke with Morrison Lee a Taiwanese businessman who went to China on what was supposed to be a 48-hour trip and ended up getting detained and stuck there for nearly 4 years. Morrison talked about his personal involvement in the recall effort also shared his thoughts on why the recall votes failed.
As mentioned, recall campaign groups succeeded in putting up a total of 31 KMT legislators for a recall vote. Another 7 legislators will be up for a recall vote on August 23rd.
Related Links:
Taiwan legislature passes NT$10,000 tax rebate: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6154224
The recalls: what happened? (from Dr. Nathan Batto’s blog Frozen Garlic): https://frozengarlic.wordpress.com/2025/07/28/the-recalls-what-happened/
Donovan’s Deep Dives: The real winner in the recalls: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2025/07/29/2003841082
Chinese Nationalist/ Kuomintang (KMT): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuomintang
Chinese Communist Party (CCP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Communist_Party
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Progressive_Party
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_People%27s_Party
Sunflower Movement: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflower_Student_Movement
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/
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/
The Great Recall Explained by Courtney Donovan Smith Ep 317:
https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-great-recall-explained-by-courtney-donovan-smith-ep-317/
First Day in Taiwan, Day Before The Great Recall Ep 320: https://talkingtaiwan.com/first-day-in-taipei-day-before-the-great-recall-ep-320/
The Day of Taiwan’s Historic Recall Vote Ep 321: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-day-of-taiwans-historic-recall-vote-ep-321/
Day After Recall Analysis with Dr. Linda Gail Arrigo Ep 322: https://talkingtaiwan.com/day-after-recall-analysis-with-dr-linda-gail-arrigo-ep-322/
Jiho Chang: Why Did the Recall Fail, and How Can the DPP Do Better? Ep 323: https://talkingtaiwan.com/jiho-chang-why-did-the-recall-fail-and-how-can-the-dpp-do-better-ep-323/
A-Mei: The Great Recall Crusader Ep 324: https://talkingtaiwan.com/a-mei-the-great-recall-crusader-ep-324/