Lai's Approval Ratings Show Signs of Recovery as Opposition Loses Public Support

2026-02-02 19:00
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's (pictured) approval ratings have recently risen. (Photo / Yan Lin-yu)
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's (pictured) approval ratings have recently risen. (Photo / Yan Lin-yu)

The latest poll from Formosa Television shows President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) achieving a pivotal turnaround in public support, with his trust ratings overtaking distrust levels for the first time. His approval rating has climbed to 46%, narrowing the gap with his 48% disapproval rating to just two percentage points, suggesting a potential even split may emerge.

Senior media analyst Huang Wei-han (黃暐瀚) attributes Lai's polling recovery to either the ruling party "doing something right" or the Kuomintang "doing something wrong," emphasizing that in Taiwan's current political landscape, "winning hearts and minds determines electoral success."

Writing on Facebook, Huang noted that Lai's approval and trust ratings hit their lowest point in August 2025, primarily due to public opposition to large-scale recall campaigns. Yet six months later, Lai's polling has rebounded significantly, suggesting the Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP, may have "done something right" during this period. (Related: Ex‑TSMC R&D Chief: Without EUV, China’s Chip Industry Is “Fighting With One Leg Broken” Latest

Huang also suggests the opposition may have "done something wrong," pointing to U.S.-Taiwan tariff negotiations as evidence. While the KMT's central leadership and legislative caucus heavily criticized the tariff outcomes, polling shows a majority of public support, with 53% satisfied and 31.9% dissatisfied.

Latest
Intel May Copy TSMC’s Technology—but Not Its Culture, Says Former R&D Director
From “Rules” to Reality: Elbridge Colby Presses Asia Allies on Power, Geography, and Paying Their Share
Taiwan's Cyber Command Restructured, Talent Retention Problems Remain
Hedging Against Trump Risk: How Global Trade Is Quietly Moving On
X Says Porn Spam Floods Chinese-Language Searches During Political Unrest
Taiwan's AI Data Center Capacity Lags Behind China Due to Power Constraints, Semiconductor Executive Warns
PLA Leadership Shake-up Adds Uncertainty to Beijing’s Taiwan Policy, Scholar Warns
China’s Record Trade Performance Exposes the Limits of US Containment
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Signals Bold Expansion in Taiwan: "The More Headquarters, the Better"
Taiwan Clears Key Defense Hurdle with First Successful Dive of Indigenous Submarine
China Plays Down Role of Zhang Youxia After Arrest
Taiwanese Attack Drone Crashes on First Public Test, Reliability of Military Equipment Questioned
Takaichi Turns Snap Election Into Personal Referendum: Win Big or Quit
Does the Latest Chinese General's Downfall Signal an Impeding Crisis in the Taiwan Strait?
Opinion | Promises of Overseas Investment Risk Taiwan's Strategic Autonomy
Taiwan Central Bank Pushes Back on IMF Warning, Says Dollar Exposure Is Manageable
Taiwan's AI Semiconductor Industry Breaks $200 Billion in Annual Output
KMT Leader Declares Taiwan Need Not Choose Between US and China
Nobel Laureate Stiglitz Warns Taiwan: Housing Crisis Signals Deeper Trouble
US Strike in Venezuela Deters Chinese Aggression Towards Taiwan, Rubio Says
Opinion: When 'Freedom Isn't Free' Becomes a Slogan, Democracy Pays the Real Price
Myth-Making Is Not a Crime—And Taiwan’s Courts Know It
Taiwan Power Company Returns to Profit, Ending Taxpayer Bailouts
Taiwan's Economic Indicators Show Positive Signs, Demand for AI Drives Growth
Canada's Chinese EV Tariff Cuts Risk Industrial Sabotage and Security Threats
Germany–Taiwan Trade Exceeds US$20 Billion for Fifth Straight Year
Opinion: The Tariff Squeeze and How Trump’s Economic Coercion Is Reshaping Taiwan’s Domestic Politics
KMT, CCP to Restart Forum in Beijing After Nine-Year Hiatus
KMT and Beijing to Discuss Increasing Tourism at Cross Strait Forum
A Hollowed-Out PLA Is Not Safer for Taiwan
Zhang Youxia's Downfall Shakes PLA, US Scholar Questions China's Military Capabilities
TSMC at the Core of the AI Hardware Age as Taiwan Ranks Among the World’s Top Innovators
Transactional Diplomacy Could Leave Taiwan Exposed, Economist Editor Warns
TSMC Builds Largest Advanced Packaging Plant in Chiayi, Tightens Construction Safety Standards
Trump Slaps 25% Punitive Tariffs on Seoul, Tearing Up Bilateral Trade Deal
Xi Purges Top Military Leaders, Consolidates Control of Army for Fourth Term
Exclusive | Nobel Physics Laureate Advises Governments to Think Long Term
The Special Defense Budget Needs Delivery Timetables and Legislative Oversight
Beyond Tariffs: AmCham Says Double Taxation Pact Is Key to Unlocking Investment in Taiwan
Xi Purges One Million Officials in 2025, Anti-Corruption Campaigns Cause Systemic Paralysis
Europe on the Menu: Trump’s Greenland Power Play and the Collapse of EU Appeasement
Trump's Fractures Decades of Global Trade and Political Order at World Economic Forum
Japanese Prime Minister Stakes Tenure on Retaining Coalition Majority in High-Stakes Lower House Election
No Fear at 508 Meters in the Air, How Free Climber Alex Honnold Scaled Taipei 101
Free Climb Atop Taipei 101 Captivates the World, Netflix Streams Taiwan to the World