CEC announces compromise on two-step polling

"It's as if martial law had been imposed in Taiwan again ... are we a democracy? What law authorizes the premier to fire local election commissioners? If the Cabinet dares to fire any one of them, the caucus will definitely take the matter to court," Tseng said.

Meanwhile, KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday questioned the CEC's latest decision, adding that the party would respect local government heads' handling of election affairs.

"I don't know if it's the CEC's final decision. We need to wait and see what happens next," Ma said in Banciao, Taipei County.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said only that the city government would follow the decision of Taipei City's Election Commission.

Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) and Taoyuan County Commissioner Chu Li-lun (朱立倫) welcomed the CEC decision and said the county election commissions would adapt to the compromise measure if necessary.

In related news, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) yesterday approved a CEC request to replace Taipei City Election Commission Chairman Samuel Wu (吳秀光), who insisted on two-step voting.

The city election commission received an electronic version of the official notice from the premier in the late afternoon, which appointed commission member Tsai Tien-chi (蔡天啟) to take Wu's seat.

The premier also appointed Wu Chiu-ku (吳秋榖) as Hsinchu City Election Commission chairman following the resignation of Hsinchu Mayor Lin Junq-tzer (林政則) from the post on Tuesday.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MO YAN-CHIH,

CHEN CHING-MIN AND SU YUNG-YAO