Taiwan Insight

Stress-Testing Democracy: Taiwan’s 2025 Recall and the Future of Legislative Credibility

19 August 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Bonnie, Yushih Liao. This article argues that Taiwan’s democracy must be stress-tested. While the ultimate results may not have shifted parliamentary power: the campaign’s institutional impact, social effects, and geopolitical implications highlight a crucial inflexion point in Taiwan’s ongoing democratic development.

Winners and Losers of the Great Recall Election in Taiwan

18 August 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Dr Chieh-chi HSIEH. This article analyses the winners and losers of the great recall election in Taiwan. It argues that while the two opposition parties (KMT and TPP) neither gained nor lost and the DPP is undoubtedly the main loser, the main winner is the Taiwanese society. The self-motivated attempts to recall their respective legislators, albeit unsuccessful, consolidate Taiwan’s democracy.

A Vote of Gladness, A Moment of Disquiet: Taiwan’s Recall Elections Revisited

15 August 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Meng Kit Tang. Taiwan’s 2025 mass recall movement mobilised unprecedented civic energy but failed to unseat a single lawmaker. This commentary explores how a campaign born of democratic hope left behind deeper polarisation, institutional strain, and little collective pride. The way forward will require not only better laws or more elections, but also maturity, dialogue, reform and healing.

Democratic Lessons from Taiwan’s Mass Recall Movement

14 August 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Tzu-chiao Su. This article suggests that the mass recall movement briefly opened a political Pandora’s box in Taiwan. Fortunately, the results of the vote managed to close it again. The recalls showcased Taiwan’s vibrant democratic energy and its strong democratic resilience, but the recall mechanism must be critically reassessed.

The Great Recall Movement: An Attempt to Restage 2016 That Instead Turned Out to be 2018?

13 August 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Brian Hioe. This article argues that the great recall movement is more reminiscent of the 2018 than the 2016 elections. The recall movement is sometimes interpreted as the successor of the Bluebird movement last year, but the spectre of the Sunflower Movement still haunts it. Ultimately, however, the dynamics of it are fundamentally different from those of an election.

Disqualifying Incapable Legislators? Quintessence of the Mass Recall Campaign

12 August 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Jonathan Leung. This article argues that the 2025 mass recall campaign is an attempt to overthrow the legislative election result in 2024. It is also a form of snap election. It is also a delegitimisation of democracy and a derecognition of the previous election results. Therefore, there is no winner in this campaign.

Choosing Between Confronting China or Reviving the Economy: Why Taiwan’s Recall Campaign Backfired on the Ruling Party

11 August 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Chang, Chunhao. This article argues that the defeat of the recall campaign indicates that Taiwanese voters are unwilling to reverse electoral outcomes through post-election manoeuvres. The DPP fails to understand the priorities of moderate, unaffiliated, or floating voters. They want responsible governance, not political revenge, and are deeply committed to the democratic process.

Beyond Tragedy and Beijing’s Cultural Monopoly: Taiwan’s Democracy Is the True Future of Chinese Civilisation

8 August 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Bright Isle. This article argues that the true value of Taiwan’s democracy is to be the future of Chinese civilisation, in contrast to the authoritarian CCP. Taiwan demonstrates Confucian values in its political leadership and civic education. However, Taiwan’s democracy has to be constantly defended, including deepening democratic governance and strengthening national defence.

Bordering on the World by Human Security? Taiwan and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in De Facto States Studies

6 August 2025 Yu-Chen

Written by Yung Lin. This article compares Taiwan and the TRNC to explore how de facto states navigate border control, legitimacy, and human security. It argues for people-centred governance and inclusionism as alternative frameworks for building resilience and engaging with global challenges.

The ROC Flag in Outer Space: Astronaut Visits During the Cold War Era (1960s-1980s)

4 August 2025 Yu-Chen

Written by Yi-Ting Chang. This article revisits Taiwan’s overlooked space history by tracing astronaut visits and the symbolic journeys of ROC flags into space during the Cold War. It reveals how diplomacy, identity, and geopolitics shaped Taiwan’s unexpected role in early space exploration.

Powering the Periphery: The Future of the Central and Eastern European Auto Industry

1 August 2025 Yu-Chen

Written by Dominika Remžová. This article examines how Chinese EV and Taiwanese semiconductor investments are reshaping Central and Eastern Europe’s automotive industry. It highlights diverging national strategies, geopolitical implications, and the potential for industrial upgrading amid tensions between economic pragmatism and values-based foreign policy.

Mandarin Soft Power with Taiwanese Characteristics: Values, Visibility, and Challenges

30 July 2025 Yu-Chen

Written by Elaine Chung and Qipeng Gao. This article examines Taiwan’s efforts to promote Mandarin education abroad as a tool of soft power, particularly in the UK. Drawing on student interviews, it explores how political values, language ideologies, and structural constraints shape learners’ choices. It offers insight into how Taiwan can strengthen its visibility and appeal in global language education.

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