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.

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.

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

Taiwan's government said the island's largest-ever recall vote has faced "unprecedented" election interference by China, which claims the democratically governed island as its own, over Taiwan's rejection.

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

Taiwanese are voting to determine whether to oust about one-fifth of their lawmakers, all from the opposition Nationalist Party

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.