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PFP backtracks on amendments to Constitution

The People First Party (PFP) legislative caucus yesterday announced a change of heart on the constitutional amendment bill, diminishing the odds that legislative reform will be completed.

The legislature passed a constitutional amendment bill last August to adopt a "single-member district, two-vote system" for legislative elections starting in 2008, and to halve the number of legislative seats from the current 225 to 113.

The amendment bill must be ratified by the National Assembly, which is to be formed via an election six months after the bill is promulgated.

PFP Legislator Lee Yung-ping (李永萍) yesterday said that members of the National Assembly representing her caucus will vote against the amendment halving the number of legislative seats and adopting the "single-member district, two-vote system."

If the number of legislative seats was cut to 113, Lee said, she is afraid that government policies and bills would be manipulated by a handful of lawmakers. The "single-member district, two-vote system" would also worsen vote-buying practices, she said.

Lee blamed her party's change of position on pressure from last December's legislative election, the media and some interest groups.

"Because of last year's legislative election and pressure from the media and public, we were literally hijacked into casting our votes to support the bill," she said. "Now that the election is over, I thought it was time to rationally discuss the bill and listen to the opinions of constitutional experts."

PFP caucus whip Chen Chih-bin (陳志彬) apologized to the public for changing his party's stance on the matter.

"On behalf of my caucus, I'd like to say sorry to our supporters for making such a hasty decision," he said. "However, it does not necessarily mean that we made a mistake back then. We were simply preoccupied with the election and too busy to thoroughly discuss the bill."

Since the time is different and the situation has changed, Chen said that it only makes sense for his party to change its position on such a significant bill.

The amendment also stipulates that the National Assembly is to be abolished. After it is abolished, bills regarding constitutional amendments and territorial changes -- which would previously have been ratified by the assembly -- will instead be ratified by the public via referendum after being passed by the legislature.

The National Assembly election is scheduled for May 14 and 300 members will be elected. They must meet one month after the election.

Lawmakers, however, have not yet reached a consensus over the threshold for assembly members to ratify the constitutional amendment bill.

While the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucuses argue that the consent of half of the assembly members is needed, the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), the PFP and Non-Partisan Solidarity Union say that three fourths, or 75 percent, makes more sense.

The TSU and PFP also argue that at least 50 percent of the assembly members should be required to vote to make the ratification valid. The DPP, however, opposes this.
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