The legislature should "brace itself for dismissal" and lawmakers obstructing legislation could be recalled if they fail to pass a bill governing the National Assembly's powers before tomorrow's National Assembly elections, pan-green lawmakers warned yesterday.
"We are calling on the pan-blue lawmakers to stop boycotting important bills and pass them in [today's] legislative session," Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) said. "Although a dismissal of the legislature is bound to put Premier Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) career on the line, I'm afraid we don't have much choice but to issue the ultimatum."
The Constitution allows the president to dismiss the legislature if it passes a vote of no-confidence in the premier. Cheng was implying that the DPP caucus could introduce a no-confidence motion against its own government to trigger new elections. Cheng did not, however, explain how the minority pan-green camp could pass the motion without pan-blue-camp support.
Cheng said he would not rule out the action if the legislature fails to pass the bill in time.
Cheng was speaking at the legislature yesterday morning accompanied by DPP legislators Huang Wei-cher (黃偉哲), Eva Hsieh (謝欣霓), Wang To-far (王塗發) and Wang Jung-chang (王榮璋) and Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Legislator Yin Ling-ying (尹伶瑛).
While the DPP caucus is proposing to vote on the bill today, Cheng said the caucus will not hesitate to adopt "dramatic measures" if other parties reject its proposition and insist on settling the matter via cross-party negotiations.
The odds of the bill passing tomorrow are negligible because opposition parties have consistently expressed antagonism toward the DPP's proposal.
Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) caucus whip Lo Chih-ming (
"We thought more multiparty negotiations were needed," he said. "Besides, it is not too late to discuss the matter after Saturday's elections."
While the TSU caucus has announced a temporary withdrawal from cross-party talks, Lo said that his caucus would re-open the door for negotiations after tomorrow's poll.
Lo said the TSU supported a ratification threshold of 75 percent for constitutional amendments and that the amendment package passed by the legislature last August should not be confirmed as a whole but article by article.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Chen Chieh (陳杰) said the DPP's threat was nothing but a campaign gimmick.
He also said that more talks were necessary to find some middle ground in relation to the bill.
Although the KMT's "main door" for negotiation is shut, Chen said its "side door is still open." In other words, the DPP caucus could still talk with other KMT lawmakers such as Tseng Yung-chuan (
People First Party (PFP) caucus whip Chen Chih-pin (
"There is still plenty of time to discuss the bill before the current legislative session ends at the end of the month," he said. "It's not too late to vote on the bill four months later if cross-party talks fail to bear fruit."
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