TAIWANESE voters rejected a bid to oust about one-fifth of their MPs, all from the opposition Nationalist Party (KMT), in a recall election at the weekend.

Saturday’s vote reduces the chances of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) flipping the balance of power in the breakaway Chinese province’s legislature. 

The pro-independence DPP won last year’s presidential election, but the KMT and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party have enough seats to form a majority bloc.

Official preliminary results showed that the recall efforts failed to remove any of the two dozen KMT MPs.

The scale of the recall elections is unprecedented, with another seven KMT MPs facing a similar vote on August 23.

The main opposition party currently holds 52 seats, while the ruling DPP has 51 seats. 

For the DPP to secure a legislative majority, at least six KMT MPs would need to be ousted and the ruling party would need to win the by-elections, which must be held within three months of the recall results being announced.

For the recall to pass, more than a quarter of eligible voters in the electoral district must vote in favour of it and the total number of supporters must exceed those voting against.

If next month’s poll results are also unfavourable to the DPP, it would mean that the government of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te could continue to face strong resistance from within the legislature before elections expected in 2028.

Responding to the blow, Mr Lai claimed on Facebook that the result was “neither a victory for one side nor a defeat for another,” adding that he hoped all parties would continue to safeguard Taiwan’s democratic system.

KMT chairman Eric Chu said: “All Taiwanese people chose stability, chose that the government should focus on getting things done, rather than engaging in bitter political fighting.”