KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
"In accordance with the Constitution, our country should follow the semi-presidential system (雙首長制). The ruling party, however, claims that we are abiding by the presidential system, and this belief allows the president to become a `super president.' All [Chen] thinks about is how to expand his power to the maximum, and nothing else," Lien said, while speaking to supporters at KMT headquarters on the birthday of Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙), the "founding father of the ROC."
"Since the turn of the century, nearly 190 countries have adopted democracy. Although this is a universal trend, democracy in some countries is not progressing. The reason for this reversal is because many political leaders act like dictators and do not respect the power of the legislature," Lien said.
PHOTO: LEE HUNG-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
Lien said that he was worried Taiwan would take a path leading toward despotism.
"Since the DPP took the helm on May 20, it has said that it would respect the Constitution, yet the reality shows that it has been overlooking the fact that the opposition has a majority in the legislature," Lien said.
"What [the DPP] is attempting to implement is a fully presidential system, under which Chen Shui-bian would be a grand president of the Republic of China," he said.
"What [Chen] is doing is using his executive power to trample all over the legislature," he added.
Lien said that the DPP should return to a "dual-executive government" where the president should respect the opinion of the legislative majority when appointing the premier, and that the Cabinet should answer to the legislature.
Lee Hong-hsi (
"In light of the latest amendment, the president is entitled to appoint the premier without having to get approval from the legislature. It is the president, not the premier, who has the people's support because the president is elected via popular vote. Under this system, the premier only serves as a high-ranking aide for the president," Lee said.
"Based on this system, the president should be the supreme executive leader of our country. Our Constitution is not the so-called `semi-presidential system,' as those unfamiliar with our Constitution claim."
Lee added that he was apprehensive for the future of Taiwan, as some politicians lack a fundamental understanding of the Constitution.
"The current Constitution is neither a presidential or a Cabinet system, it's neither here nor there," Lee said.
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