Taiwan Legislature Rejects First Presidential Impeachment Motion Against Lai

The opposition-backed motion won 56 votes, short of the 76 required, leaving unresolved disputes over fiscal powers, defense spending, and executive-legislative

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te waves as he delivers his inaugural speech after being sworn into office during the inauguration ceremony at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei on May 20, 2024. (Photo by Sam YEH / AFP) Photo by SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images

Taiwan’s Legislature rejected the first presidential impeachment motion in the island’s constitutional history on May 19, after opposition lawmakers failed to secure the supermajority required to advance proceedings against President William Lai Ching-te.

The motion received 56 votes in favor and 50 against, falling short of the 76 votes required in the 113-seat Legislative Yuan. Seven lawmakers did not cast ballots, including Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu and Deputy Speaker Johnny Chiang, both of the Kuomintang, or KMT, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency.