Taiwanese voters rejected a bid to oust about one-fifth of their lawmakers, all from the opposition Nationalist Party, in a recall election Saturday, dampening hopes for the ruling party to flip the balance of power in the self-ruled island’s legislature.

Taiwanese voters have rejected a bid to oust about one-fifth of their lawmakers from the opposition Nationalist Party in a recall election, a setback for President Lai Ching-te.

The votes could reshape the island democracy's parliament and the government's approach to its powerful neighbor.

A democratic check or an abuse of power? Mass recall vote in Taiwan polarizes island after months of paralysis.

By Yimou Lee TAIPEI (Reuters) -Voters in Taiwan were casting ballots on Saturday on whether to recall one-fifth of the island's parliament, all from the major opposition party, in a move supporters hope will send a message to China and opponents say is an assault on democracy.

On July 26, Taiwan will set a new record for a developed democracy, holding recall referendums for 24 opposition legislators as well as one opposition mayor. This is nothing to be proud of; the mass recalls of more than a fifth of Taiwan’s legislature are the latest sign of a political crisis that has largely gone unnoticed internationally.

The largest ever recall election in Taiwan targets Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers, potentially aiding the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in regaining legislative control. Civic groups criticize KMT for pro-China actions,