ISTANBUL

Thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Taipei on Saturday as the opposition launched a massive rally against the policies of Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te, local broadcaster TVBS World Taiwan reported.

Waving Taiwanese flags and holding banners calling for greater transparency and accountability, demonstrators voiced their frustration with Lai’s administration.

The protest comes amid escalating political tensions, as opposition parties -- despite controlling Taiwan’s legislature -- now face organized recall election campaigns initiated by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), in power since 2016.

Addressing the crowd, Eric Chu, leader of Taiwan's main opposition party, declared: "It's just the beginning. There are 24 days to go before the anniversary of your inauguration, Lai Ching-te. The people of Taiwan have given you one year, and you don't do anything but fight."

A recall election allows voters to remove an elected official before the end of their term. Under Taiwan’s rules, recall campaigners must first collect signatures from 1% of eligible voters to start the process, then 10% to force a vote.

While government supporters insist that the recall efforts represent legitimate democratic processes, opposition leaders denounce them as politically motivated vendettas aimed at undermining legitimate election outcomes.