TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Election Commission said that it had received 55 recall proposals by 5 p.m. Monday, with 52 of them targeting legislators.

Some of these proposals are resubmissions, while others target the same public official. The CEC explained that recall proposals for the same official are governed by specific rules, per CNA.

If a recall proposal has been legally validated, any other ongoing recall proposals for the same official will be suspended. This means the proposal has passed the second stage of signature collection and is scheduled for a vote.

A recall proposal is the first step in Taiwan’s recall process, where a small percentage of voters formally suggest the removal of an elected official. If the proposal collects enough valid signatures, the process moves to the petition stage, where more signatures are gathered to trigger a recall vote.

On Feb. 3, recall proposals were submitted against KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁), suspended Hsinchu City Mayor Kao Hung-an (高虹安), and 18 KMT lawmakers. On Feb. 11, proposals targeting a dozen more KMT legislators were submitted.

The recalls are part of a broader political wave that has swept Taiwan in recent months. The movement gained traction in December after lawmakers from the KMT and TPP approved a central government budget that slashed NT$207.5 billion (US$6.29 billion) from the Cabinet’s original proposal.

In response, DPP caucus leader Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) led efforts to recall 41 KMT legislators. Meanwhile, KMT supporters launched counter-recalls against four DPP lawmakers in KMT-leaning districts.

Recall process

• Phase 1

Proposals from individuals in the district where the official was elected are needed to start a recall of an elected official. The number of proposals must be at least 1% of the area's total voters.

Once submitted, the CEC has 25 days to verify the list of proposers.

• Phase 2

A recall petition must gather signatures from at least 10% of the voters within 60 days. Proposers cannot sign as petitioners.

After a recall proposal is approved, the process moves to the voting stage. The date for a recall vote will be announced within five days after the defense period ends.

The recall target has 10 days to submit a defense statement.

• Phase 3

The recall vote must be held within 20 to 60 days after the recall is officially established.

According to Article 90 of the “Public Officials Election and Recall Act,” a recall vote is successful if:

1. The number of valid “yes” votes exceeds the number of “no” votes
2. The “yes” votes must also be at least one-quarter of the total voters in the original election district

• Following a successful recall

If a recall is successful, the official being recalled must cease their duties starting from the day the recall results are announced. The official cannot run for the same job in the same area for the next four years, with the same rule applied if the official resigns during the recall process.

If the official’s position is empty after the recall, an election must be held within three months. If the recall is challenged in court, the election will be delayed until the legal case ends.

To avoid recall misuse, if a recall fails, no one can propose a recall for the same official during their current term.