After three rounds of voting at the presidium of the National Assembly, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) representative Yeh Chun-jung (
Given that both the DPP and the KMT recommended their own candidates for the position of secretary-general of the National Assembly and controlled a nearly equal number of votes in the presidium, filling the post of secretary-general required three rounds of voting.
VOTING
The 11-member presidium has five representatives from the DPP, four from the KMT, one from the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) and one from the People First Party (PFP), in accordance to the percentage of seats that each party obtained in the National Assembly.
The pan-green camp could have secured the post of secretary-general with one round of voting because of its majority of six delegates in the presidium, but TSU presidium member Annie Lee (
The PFP also wanted to have a forum on constitutional issues to voice their stance during the National Assembly meeting, and asked the KMT to vote for PFP candidate Edward Chen (
DELAYS
Because of the TSU and PFP's insistence, the first two rounds of voting did not produce a winner, because none of the candidates obtained more than six ballots.
Lee casted an invalid ballot during the first and second voting rounds, but then changed her attitude and voted for Yeh during the third round of voting, after discussions with DPP delegates.
Yeh took the post of secretary-general, defeating the KMT candidate, Chen Wu-hsiung (陳武雄), 6 to 5.
The presidium will hold a meeting to discuss the schedule and the agenda of the assembly this afternoon at 2pm.
The DPP hopes the agenda can be shortened to one week and convene the first session before Friday.
The KMT prefers a plan put forward by the Legislative Yuan, and wants the assembly to open on June 7 and close on June 10.
NO DELAYS
As for the TSU and PFP's demand of setting up a forum on constitutional issues, the president of the presidium, DPP delegate Yeh Chu-lan (
The TSU and the PFP requested more than the constitutional forum. The two small parties argued that the low turnout for the National Assembly elections held on May 14 was too low to represent public opinion.
TSU caucus whip Lo Chih-ming (
The TSU and the PFP also oppose the DPP and the KMT's motion that a second vote is needed if an amendment is not passed during the first round of voting, saying the motion is unconstitutional and that they will definitely boycott it.
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
LIKE-MINDED COUNTRIES: Despite the threats from outside, Taiwan and Lithuania thrived and developed their economies, former president Tsai Ing-wen said Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Saturday thanked Lithuania for its support of Taiwan, saying that both countries are united as partners in defending democracy. Speaking at a reception organized by the Lithuania-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group welcoming her on her first visit to the Baltic state, Tsai said that while she was president from 2016 to last year, many Lithuanian “friends” visited Taiwan. “And I told myself I have to be here. I am very happy that I am here, a wonderful country and wonderful people,” Tsai said. Taiwan and Lithuania are in similar situations as both are neighbors to authoritarian countries, she
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is to visit the UK during her ongoing European trip, which originally included only Lithuania and Denmark, her office said today. Tsai departed Taiwan for Europe on Friday night, with planned stops in Lithuania and Denmark, marking her second visit to the continent since her two-term presidency ended in May last year. Her office issued a statement today saying that Tsai would also visit the UK "for a few days," during which she is to meet with UK politicians and Taiwanese professionals, and visit academic and research institutions. Following Tsai's stop in Denmark, she is to visit the
RSS