Taiwan Voters Reject Lawmaker Recalls, Clouding Defense Budget

Voters in Taiwan once again rejected an effort by President Lai Ching-te’s party to flip parliament, a setback that could deepen political deadlock and complicate the island’s push to ramp up defense spending against rising pressure from Beijing.

None of the seven opposition Kuomintang legislators targeted in Saturday’s second round of recall elections were removed, according to the Central News Agency. The result allows the KMT to maintain its joint majority in the Legislature in collaboration with the smaller Taiwan People’s Party.