TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) approval rating has taken a significant hit, according to two separate polls released Thursday in the wake of the Democratic Progressive Party’s failed recall attempt on Saturday.
A poll conducted by Z.Media found that 35.5% of respondents approve of Lai’s performance, while 50.4% disapprove, per UP Media. The figures represent a 10.4 percentage point drop in approval and a 9.8 point increase in disapproval compared to a similar poll in June.
The same poll showed that 53.1% of respondents support a Cabinet reshuffle, while 18.6% are opposed. Among DPP supporters, 40.2% favor a reshuffle and 35.9% are against it.
A separate poll released by Formosa on the same day found similar trends: 34.6% of respondents approve of Lai’s governance, while 56.6% disapprove, per UDN. Compared to its June findings, Lai’s approval dropped by 10.1 points and disapproval increased by 9.8 points.
Public trust in Lai was reported at 37.2%, while 50.3% expressed distrust, a 7.8 point decrease in trust and a 7 point increase in distrust from June.
Formosa’s poll also found that Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) is facing declining approval. Only 28.3% of respondents support Cho’s performance, while 50.2% disapprove, an 11.2 point rise in disapproval and a 9.4 point drop in approval since June.
Approval for a Cabinet reshuffle shows a similar trend to the Z.Media poll, with 47.9% in favor and 31.1% opposed. Among those supporting a reshuffle, 32% want Cho to resign, while 41.7% believe replacing underperforming ministers would be sufficient. Respondents were allowed to choose one or both of these options.
Z.Media’s two-day poll, which closed on Tuesday, surveyed 1,074 Taiwanese adults nationwide and had a margin of error of roughly 3 percentage points. Formosa’s three-day poll, which closed on Wednesday, surveyed 1,082 Taiwanese adults nationwide and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
Separately, Formosa Chair Wu Tzu-chia (吳子嘉) released results from another survey asking whether respondents support Lai running for re-election, per NOWnews. According to Wu, only 45.1% support Lai seeking a second term, with disapproval rising by 17.9 points to 54.9% since a similar poll conducted in November 2024.
Wu attributed the political fallout to what he called the mishandling of the recall campaign by DPP legislative caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), DPP Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋), and United Microelectronics Corp founder Robert Tsao (曹興誠). Wu suggested their roles in the failed effort may have jeopardized Lai’s chances for re-election in 2028.
