With new legislators to be sworn in on Feb. 1, former premier Yu Shyi-kun, who is to take a legislator-at-large seat, is seen by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members as a popular candidate for legislative speaker.
The DPP on Saturday maintained its majority in the Legislative Yuan, winning 61 seats, four more than the 57 needed to claim the majority in the 113-seat legislature.
While the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) won 38 seats, there are smaller parties and independents with a similar ideologies that the DPP can count on if it needs additional votes on legislation.
Photo: Chou Hsiang-yun, Taipei Times
The New Power Party maintained its presence with three seats and the Taiwan Statebuilding Party took one seat, while four of the five independents voted in belong to the pan-green camp.
DPP Legislator Chen Ou-po (陳歐珀) was the first to express support for Yu.
As Yu has a well-rounded political resume, is good at mediating and has made a steadfast effort to make Taiwan a normalized country, he is the best candidate for legislative speaker, Chen said yesterday.
Yu should also be given credit for the DPP’s outstanding legislative election results, as he traveled the nation stumping for the party’s legislative candidates, he added.
Meanwhile, DPP Legislator Chen Ming-wen (陳明文), who in 2016 expressed an interest in running for legislative speaker, said he was waiting for DPP legislators to come to a consensus on who to support.
He said that he would respect the decision of the DPP caucus.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), another potential candidate, said that a stable legislature that allows parties to function normally is crucial to the nation’s development.
He said he would respect the president’s strategic personnel planning, as well as any consensus reached by caucus members.
In response to media queries, Deputy Legislative Speaker Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said that Yu seemed like a fitting choice given his experience and stature in the DPP, but he believes that DPP members’ opinions should be consulted before a conclusion is reached.
Asked if he would vie for the legislative speaker seat, Tsai said he has no such plans and would focus on his current duties.
Additional reporting by CNA
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