(Bloomberg) -- Opposition lawmakers in Taiwan pushed forward legal changes that would make it harder to recall elected officials and representatives, a contentious move that would help them secure a legislative majority they’ve used to take on President Lai Ching-te.
On Monday, the Internal Administration Committee of Taiwan’s parliament approved amendments aimed at raising the threshold for a recall, including one that requires the number of recall votes to exceed the votes an individual originally received to be elected.
The amendments must now pass the entire parliament, which could take several weeks, and would still need Lai’s signature before taking effect.
The opposition Kuomintang and its allies have been battling with Lai since he took office in May, though their biggest attempt so far to curtail presidential power was thwarted. In October, Taiwan’s top court ruled that changes sought by the KMT that would expand the powers of lawmakers, including the ability to summon the president for questioning, were unconstitutional.
In reaction to political clashes with the opposition, some in Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party have threatened to launch recall campaigns against opposing lawmakers. With the KMT and their partners proposing more changes that shift the balance of power in their favor, such as by giving the central government less tax revenue and local governments more, recalls are an ongoing concern.
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