Opposition Accuses Lai of Fanning Recall Momentum With Latest Speeches

TaiwanPlus News

President Lai Ching-te has cited the power of the people to protect Taiwan’s democracy in two weekend speeches, including his third "unity speech" in a series of ten planned in the coming weeks. The opposition parties say Lai is fanning the flames of the lawmaker recall votes set for July 26.

Transcript

00:00The power of the people.

00:07That was the emphasis of President Lai Qingde's weekend speeches to the nation and his own Democratic Progressive Party.

00:30Lai's mention of the mass recall movement has been a recurring theme in his recent public addresses.

00:38The president has planned 10 so-called unity speeches as partisan divide continues to grow due to an unprecedented lawmaker recall movement.

00:46So far, at least 24 lawmakers from the opposition, Kuomintang, are set to face a recall vote in July.

00:52In his latest speech, Lai accuses the opposition, which controls the legislature, of violating the Constitution.

01:00The smaller opposition Taiwan People's Party,

01:30which has partnered with the KMT on multiple reform bills,

01:33says Lai's support for lawmaker recalls has been clear in his unity talks.

01:37The KMT has also reacted to Lai's unity speech, calling on its supporters to vote no on the recalls.

02:04He said that no one can lead to a big crime.

02:09I want to invite all of the friends watching the show in front of the show.

02:13We really need to use a greater meaning to use that day of the 7th of December 26th,

02:20to use a specific action to vote for a different crime.

02:25With both the ruling and opposition parties gearing up for the recall votes on July 26,

02:39the remaining seven unity speeches will be a true test of Lai's ability

02:43to de-escalate the worsening political divide.

02:46Joseph Wu and Irene Lin for Taiwan Plus.

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