President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), during his weekly meeting with party and government officials, suggested the possibility of an "intermediary Cabinet" after the year-end elections, Chinese media reported yesterday. The Presidential Office, however, denied that the president ever mentioned the words "intermediary Cabinet."
During the Tuesday night meeting of the president's nine member policy-making task force, Chen was quoted as saying that if the opposition parties successfully cooperate and form a majority alliance in the Legislative Yuan, "we can create an `intermediary Cabinet' (看守內閣)."
The report also said that Chen predicted that all political parties would "reorganize, separate or disband within half a year after the election," which would allow the DPP to seek the cooperation of other political heavyweights.
Chen said he was confident the DPP would become the biggest party after the year-end legislative election, saying the ruling party should have the right to organize a future coalition government.
"The ROC Constitution clearly stipulates that the president has the right to nominate the premier, which should also be regarded as the authority to organize the Cabinet," Chen said.
During the meeting, the president also stressed that even if the opposition parties create a majority alliance in the Legislative Yuan after the election, "The DPP does not need to give up its authority to form the Cabinet."
DPP legislative caucus leader Tsai Huang-liang (
RSS