Taiwan Quick Take: TSU favors abstention

The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) will probably not vote on a third recall motion against President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Friday at the Legislative Yuan, a TSU lawmaker said yesterday. TSU caucus whip Huang Chung-yung (黃宗源) said his party would likely abstain from the Nov. 24 vote aimed at recalling Chen -- the third of its kind launched by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party since late June to unseat Chen over a series of corruption allegations linked to the first family. The 12 TSU lawmakers cast invalid ballots in the previous two votes. Liao Pen-yen (廖本煙), convener of the TSU's caucus whip, reserved judgment, however, saying the party has yet to make a final decision on the third presidential recall vote until its central executive committee meeting on Wednesday.