Taiwan’s William Lai slides in popularity, plagued by political turmoil

Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s popularity has slid to a new low, weighed down by a wave of social discontent and political turmoil that has amplified public dissatisfaction with his administration.

Lai’s approval rating dropped to 42.8 per cent this month, well down from the 58 per cent recorded in May when he assumed office, according to a survey released on Tuesday by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation, a Taipei-based pollster.

Adding to his troubles is widespread criticism over his government’s perceived inaction, particularly after the suicide of a government labour official, allegedly due to workplace bullying by a supervisor.

Lai’s drop in public approval just six months into the job translates to a loss of nearly 3 million supporters and a fall in support across almost all demographic groups, in terms of age, education, ethnicity and political affiliation.

His disapproval rating is also up, rising 5.3 percentage points from October to 43 per cent, an overall increase of 17.5 percentage points since May. This equates to an additional 3.4 million people expressing dissatisfaction with Lai, according to the foundation, which has been tracking public opinion on the government’s performance since 2016.

November’s disapproval rating was also Lai’s highest to date.