Downsizing the legislature and reforming the Constitution to establish a clear presidential system are two issues the Taiwan Solidarity Union plans to campaign for in the year-end elections.
The new, pro-Taiwan political party plans to hold its formal founding ceremony on Sunday. Huang Chu-wen (
Huang said yesterday that voters have become turned off with the bitter acrimony that has characterized the legislature.
"We advocate reducing the number of seats in the Legislative Yuan by half," he said. Currently, there are 225 seats in the lawmaking body.
Huang said reform of the legislature would be the group's primary goal in the upcoming election, and that the new party has no plans to field a candidate in the 2004 presidential contest.
As for reform of the constitution, the group supports replacing the current semi-presidential, five-branch system with a stronger three-branch, presidential system.
"Because people have been able to directly elect the president since 1996 and the presi-dent's nomination for premier no longer needs the approval of the legislature, Taiwan has become a full, presidential country," Huang said.
"Clearly, rewriting the constitution into a three-branch presidential system will put to rest the ferocious debate between politicians and scholars about what is the true spirit of Taiwan's constitution."
On financial affairs, the new group supports changing government policy on cross-strait investment, particularly the "no haste, be patient" policy.
"But any loosening of the restrictions on investment in China must be followed by measures to protect Taiwan's national security and economic security, and the personal safety of Taiwanese businessmen," Huang said.
* Primary goal is reform of the legislature.
* The party advocates reducing the number of seats in the Legislative Yuan by half.
* It supports replacing the current semi-presidential, five-branch system with a stronger three-branch, presidential system.
* The group advocates changing government policy on cross-strait investment.
He also reiterated yesterday that the Taiwan Solidarity Union had the support of former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), and that the group plans to back the DPP in the legislature after the December elections.
Still, DPP officials have worried loudly that the new group may siphon away voters, as the two pro-Taiwan parties appeal to the same base of voters.
Huang said yesterday votes were not the "property" of any particular party.
Huang also noted that many of the candidates the Taiwan Solidarity Union plans to field were passed up by the DPP for a chance to run in the year-end legislative elections.
Huang refused to comment on reports the DPP is preparing measures to punish members who join the Taiwan Solidarity Union or campaign for its candidates.
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