00:00This is the culmination of more than a year of political chaos here in Taiwan,
00:07and this recall movement has really galvanised the public.
00:11There are thousands here at this rally in central Taipei campaigning against the recalls,
00:18but only a few streets over. There are thousands more rallying in favour.
00:23Now, while Taiwan only 18 months ago elected a pro-sovereignty president, Hinlai Qingda,
00:30his Democratic Progressive Party does not control the legislature.
00:34The majority in the parliament is held by the main opposition party, the Kuomintang,
00:38in alliance with a minor party.
00:41Now, the Kuomintang, or the KMT, advocate for closer ties and more dialogue with Beijing,
00:47and critics argue that they've used their parliamentary majority to block the president's agenda.
00:52And that's impacted everything from government budgets to military programs and funding,
00:57through to the operation of Taiwan's top court, which has been paralysed now for months.
01:03Now, the KMT did try and launch a series of recalls against DPP, a ruling party, politicians,
01:10but those failed.
01:12This has really heightened the deep political divisions that already exist in Taiwan,
01:17and the rhetoric has been vitriolic.
01:20The chairman of the KMT, he referred to the president as a dictator and likened him to Hitler,
01:29while the main backer of the recall movement, a semiconductor giant here in Taiwan named Robert
01:36Cao, has referred to the KMT as China's Trojan horse in Taiwan.
01:42This is an unfair vote. The government is using its power and judicial means to manipulate this recall.
01:50The legislators facing recall haven't done anything wrong.
01:53They are all highly responsible and capable.
01:55The opposition even froze the national defence budget. As everyone knows, cross-strait tensions are quite high right now.
02:06And actions like these are essentially weakening our defence.
02:10Votes will be cast today on 24 out of 31 KMT legislators who are up for recall.
02:19The remaining seven will be voted on next month.
02:22Now, if any of the recalls are successful, by-elections have to be held within three months
02:27and the ruling party only needs to gain six more seats in the parliament to secure the majority.
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