Minister of the Interior Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) yesterday expressed his support for a TSU-sponsored amendment which would decree that presidential and vice presidential candidates running together must come from the same party.
The amendment to the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Law is sponsored by TSU Legislator Chen Chien-ming (
PHOTO: LIAO CHENG-HUEI, TAIPEI TIMES
The likely target
The amendment is likely designed to prohibit the two main opposition parties, the KMT and PFP, from fielding a joint ticket for the 2004 presidential election.
Chen, who plans to submit the amendment to the legislature today denied the charge, emphasized that his party is submitting the amendment to promote party politics.
And in a sign of Cabinet support for the amendment, Yu said during a legislative question and answer period that the Executive Yuan had already put forth a similar regulation.
"The Cabinet has also sought to uphold the concept of party politics," Yu said in a response to Chen's question in the Home and Nations' Committee.
PFP Chairman James Soong (
The proposal, however, alarmed "pan-green" parties, which include the TSU and DPP.
Under the current Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Law, Article 21 states that presidential and vice presidential candidates running together should jointly register for the election, but the law is unclear as to whether the two candidates are required to be from the same party.
Chen's amendment states in no uncertain terms that political parties may only nominate their own members as party representatives and that therefore, both presidential and vice presidential candidates running together are required to be from the same party.
DPP legislative whip Wang Tuoh (
"We don't support the amendment because of the concerns for elections. We simply want to promote the concept of party politics."
"If the KMT and PFP want to cooperate together for the presidential election, they could merge as one party, which I think would be good for them," Wang told reporters in the legislature yesterday.
KMT not pleased
Diane Lee (
KMT caucus whip Lin Yi-shih (
"Why can't two parties cooperate? Does this mean that parties should fight all the time?"
"We want to promote the concept of political accountability. If Lien and Soong run together for the presidential election, it would mean that the KMT and PFP would have to jointly take responsibility for their positions," Lin said.
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