Taiwan’s President, Lai Ching-te, has experienced a significant drop in his approval rating, falling by 9.8% in just a month since taking office. He has been unable to maintain a 50% approval rating.
In a public opinion poll released by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation on the 19th, 48.2% of Taiwanese citizens responded positively to Lai’s governance, while 25.6% did not approve. He took office on May 20.
This is a 9.8 percentage point drop from the previous month. You Ying-lung, the chairman of the foundation, pointed out, “Lai has lost the support of nearly two million voters in less than a month, which poses a serious warning signal.”
The foundation analyzed the drop in approval ratings due to conflicts between the ruling and opposition parties over the opposition’s legislative reform bill and the lack of vision and agenda-setting ability that has failed to show significant leadership. It pointed out that Lai, who also serves as the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party, has yet to lead the government or the party, has not demonstrated negotiation skills, and has failed to control the Democratic Progressive Party’s executives.
The foundation also highlighted that satisfaction with Cho Jung-tai, Premier of Taiwan, was only 43% three weeks after the cabinet was launched. There have been criticisms about the uneasy relationship between the ruling party and the government, with some referring to it as an alien cabinet.
Lai is promoting action innovation and the development of artificial intelligence by recruiting industrialists like Guo Zuhui as economic ministers.
