Taiwan lawmakers vote to pass motion to impeach island's leader Lai Ching-te

TAIPEI -- An impeachment motion against Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te, submitted by lawmakers from the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party and Taiwan People's Party (TPP), was approved by the island's legislature on Friday.

According to procedures, the legislature is expected to hold a vote on the impeachment on May 19, 2026.

Public hearings are scheduled for Jan 14 and 15, 2026. Lai will be required to provide explanations and respond to inquiries at the legislature on Jan 21 and 22 as well as on May 13 and 14.

Lawmakers from the KMT and TPP announced a plan to impeach Lai at a joint press conference in Taipei on Dec 19.

An impeachment motion against the leader or deputy leader of the Taiwan authorities must first be proposed by at least half of the total lawmakers and approved by a two-thirds majority, before being submitted to the judicial body for review.

The KMT and TPP hold 52 and eight seats in the Taiwan's 113-seat legislature, respectively, compared with 51 seats held by the Democratic Progressive Party.