President Lai's First Anniversary: Approval Ratings Plummet
Comprehensive Report by Taiwan Weekly, May 19, 2025
President Lai Ching-te will mark his first anniversary in office on May 20. According to the latest poll released by the TVBS Poll Center on May 15, only 32 percent of respondents are satisfied with President Lai’s performance over the past year, while 55 percent are dissatisfied, and 13 percent expressed no opinion. Meanwhile, 38 percent of the public said they trust President Lai, compared to 55 percent who do not. Confidence in his future governance has also declined, with only 38 percent expressing confidence—a record low—while those lacking confidence rose to 57 percent, the highest to date.
Compared to the hundred-day mark of his presidency, when his approval rating reached 40 percent following the announcement of 17 national security strategies, the latest figure shows an eight-point drop—his lowest yet. Dissatisfaction has steadily increased, surpassing the 50 percent threshold for the first time.
From a partisan perspective, 82 percent of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters remain satisfied. However, dissatisfaction among Kuomintang (KMT) supporters has climbed to 88 percent, a rise of over 20 percentage points. Among Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) supporters, dissatisfaction surged nearly 40 points to 91 percent. Among politically neutral respondents, satisfaction fell slightly from 29 percent to 24 percent, while dissatisfaction spiked from 22 percent to 59 percent. The proportion of neutrals with no opinion also dropped from 49 percent to 17 percent, suggesting a significant shift from wait-and-see to negative sentiment, driving up President Lai’s overall disapproval rating.
When asked about the general direction of President Lai’s policy leadership, 36 percent of respondents said the country is heading in the right direction, while 49 percent believe it’s on the wrong path, and 16 percent had no opinion. Compared to 45 percent who thought the direction was right at the time of his inauguration, this marks a nearly 10-point decline. Those believing the direction is wrong have steadily increased since inauguration, signaling growing public discontent not only with the administration’s performance but also with President Lai’s leadership and policy trajectory.
The poll also gauged public sentiment on 11 key policies implemented during Lai’s first year. Only one policy—“Healthy Taiwan”—received more positive feedback, with 45 percent satisfaction versus 41 percent dissatisfaction. All other major policies were viewed more negatively, especially those concerning cross-strait relations and judicial reform, which saw the highest dissatisfaction levels.
Regarding national defense and security, 46 percent were satisfied—ranking highest among all policies—but the same percentage were dissatisfied, indicating sharp division. Amid rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and frequent People’s Liberation Army (PLA) exercises around Taiwan, only 36 percent were satisfied with the government's handling of cross-strait relations, while 58 percent were dissatisfied.
For judicial reform, satisfaction was just 30 percent, the lowest among all policies, while dissatisfaction stood at 58 percent. On economic performance, 34 percent expressed satisfaction, with 57 percent dissatisfied. Concerning how the government is addressing the economic impact of U.S. tariffs, 59 percent lacked confidence, and 34 percent had confidence.
On climate change, the Lai administration’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and emphasis on green energy as a national development focus received mixed reviews: 35 percent were satisfied, 45 percent dissatisfied, and 13 percent were unclear. On air quality, 35 percent expressed satisfaction and 51 percent dissatisfaction. Regarding energy policy, only 33 percent were satisfied, while 57 percent were not.