KMT Press release

April 25, 2025

Why the Parliament Majority Has to Take it to the Street

On April 26, the Kuomintang (KMT), together with tens of thousands of concerned citizens, will lead a peaceful, large-scale demonstration on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office. This rally is not merely a political gathering — it is a nationwide democratic outcry against the creeping authoritarianism of President Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), whose governing style has increasingly resembled what the public now calls a “Green Communism.”

The KMT’s decision to take to the streets is not about partisan but public interest. It is a response to growing public frustration and a call to safeguard Taiwan’s democratic institutions, preserve the rule of law, and secure a peaceful and stable future. If left unchecked, President Lai’s autocratic tendencies risk pushing Taiwan toward a path of escalating internal division that may spill over into regional instability.

Over the past year, the DPP has taken increasingly aggressive steps that have raised alarms across Taiwan’s democratic society:

 Weaponizing judicial and administrative powers to persecute opposition lawmakers, local officials, and civil society actors under disproportionate and selective legal standards.

 Orchestrating massive recall campaigns under the pretense of democratic procedure, while in reality using state power to retaliate against dissenting voices and paralyze the Legislative Yuan.

 Spreading misinformation about parliamentary decisions, including budget deliberations, to delegitimize opposition-led oversight and mislead the public.

 Suppressing press freedom and instilling the public’s self-censorship out of fear, while framing dissent as disloyalty to the state.

 Politicizing national identity, using ideological rhetoric to divide society and monopolize the definition of democracy itself.

These are not the actions of a party governing within democratic bounds. They reflect a political environment where accountability is diminished, opposition is vilified, and checks on executive power are intentionally weakened.

In the wake of the 2024 elections, where the DPP lost both the presidential majority and legislative control, President Lai has continued to reject meaningful dialogue with opposition leaders. His administration’s refusal to respect the electoral mandate has deepened political polarization and obstructed efforts toward consensus-based governance.

At the same time, critical legislative initiatives introduced by the opposition — including the Three Laws on Parliamentary Reform, the Fiscal Revenue and Expenditure Allocation Act amendment, and laws aimed at protecting frontline public servants — have been met with obstruction and even physical disruption inside the Legislative Yuan by DPP lawmakers. These actions not only stall legislative progress but also damage the dignity and functionality of Taiwan’s democratic institutions.

The erosion of judicial independence has further escalated public concern. In recent months, opposition figures and party members in cities such as Tainan, New Taipei, Taipei, Kaohsiung, and Yilan have been subjected to sweeping prosecutorial investigations. In several cases, local KMT party headquarters were raided simultaneously by prosecutors, with party chairs and staff summoned for interrogation, placed under detention, or forced to post excessive bail. The selective and disproportionate nature of these actions has triggered a chilling effect throughout civil society and raised serious doubts about the impartiality of the justice system.

In response, tens of thousands of citizens — young and old, urban and rural, from north to south — will gather tomorrow in Taipei. This is not a partisan protest. It is a collective expression of democratic belief, demanding that the rule of law be applied fairly and that no government place itself above the constitutional order.

We in the KMT believe that democracy does not belong to any single party. It belongs to the people. And when those in power abuse democratic institutions for political ends, it is the people’s right and duty to speak out.

KMT Chairman Eric Chu has reaffirmed the party’s unwavering commitment to stand with the public in defending Taiwan’s constitutional values and institutional integrity. The KMT will continue to advocate for judicial independence, proper legislative oversight, and the protection of fundamental civil liberties. We stand firmly in our mission to preserve the democratic character of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and prevent any further slide toward a one-party state.

The rally on April 26 is more than a march — it is a message: that the people of Taiwan will not be ruled by fear, nor silenced by propaganda or partisan ideology. We will rise, we will speak, and we will defend our democracy.