00:00A massive civic recall movement now gaining strength with at least 34 opposition Kuomintang
00:11lawmakers seats on the line as recall motions reach the second petition stage.
00:17Campaigners now seeking the signatures of 10 percent of voters in each district to bring
00:21the motions to a vote. A prominent supporter of the recalls, former
00:25semiconductor magnate Robert Tsao, has called attention to the movement, standing with members
00:30of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and his Safeguard Taiwan anti-communist Volunteers
00:35League.
00:36This flurry of recall campaigns comes after nearly a year of partisan fighting in the
00:58legislature. The DPP has been facing off with the KMT and Third Force Taiwan People's Party,
01:04which have used their combined majority to pass bills. At the same time, efforts to oust
01:09DPP lawmakers have not made it past the first stage of the process.
01:13Now the KMT announcing a new initiative to win public support, holding 100 policy briefings
01:19over the next two months. The party says it's in response to the recall efforts, which it
01:24says is endorsed by the DPP. It's also proposing referendums questioning
01:28the abolition of the death penalty and opposing martial law.
01:32This after President Lai Ching-teh called for the return of military tribunals, a response
01:37to an uptick in cases of enlisted and former officers spying for China. The legislature
01:43would first have to approve any amendments to relevant laws.
02:01But the DPP says these claims are unfounded and that there is no martial law. On the death
02:06penalty, Taiwan's top court ruled last year that it is constitutional, but limited its
02:11scope.
02:20Whether through recall petitions or referendum votes, both the ruling and opposition parties
02:25are urging the public to make their voices heard, to help settle their differences once
02:30and for all.
02:31John Su and Tiffany Wong for Taiwan Plus.
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