Control Yuan President Chen Chu (陳菊) yesterday said she would fully support the abolition of her branch of the government, but it can only be achieved through a constitutional amendment.
Under the Constitution, government powers are shared among five branches: the Executive Yuan, Legislative Yuan, Judicial Yuan, Control Yuan and Examination Yuan.
The Control Yuan is responsible for supervising and auditing the other branches of government.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
Lawmakers from all three major parties have over the past few weeks proposed abolishing the Control Yuan, which would require a constitutional amendment.
On Monday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers called on their Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) counterparts to join them in freezing the Control Yuan’s budget and approving a constitutional amendment referendum to abolish the branch.
The KMT said if the amendment passes the legislature, it aims to hold the referendum alongside the local government elections in 2026 or the general election in 2028.
Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) suggested a gradual approach to abolishing the Control Yuan, as the threshold for amending the Constitution is too high.
The branch could instead be eliminated through freezing its budget and not appointing new members, Ko said on his YouTube program on Monday.
A constitutional amendment requires a three-fourths super majority of a quorum of three-fourths in the legislature to be sent to a referendum. Then half of all eligible voters must vote in favor for the amendment to pass.
Speaking to reporters before a forum in Taipei, Chen said her “ideal” of a government with three branches has not changed, and she looks forward to the abolition of the Control Yuan.
As long as the legislature follows proper constitutional procedures to do so, Chen said she would “fully support and respect” the decision.
However, freezing its budget would contravene Constitutional Interpretation No. 632, she said.
Since it is the Constitution that affords the branch its powers, it must be abolished in a way that accords with procedures set out in the Constitution, she added.
The interpretation handed down in 2007 instructed the legislature to approve Control Yuan members, stating that “all constitutional organs have indispensable responsibilities to ensure the essential existence and regular operation of the Control Yuan,” after the body’s Procedure Committee halted nominations for more than three years.
DPP caucus secretary-general Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) agreed that freezing the budget and refusing to approve members would be unconstitutional.
The president is constitutionally mandated to nominate members of the Control Yuan, and the legislature is mandated to review appointments, he told a news conference, adding that Constitutional Interpretation No. 632 is clear on the matter.
The DPP has always supported abolishing the branch, but it is only possible through a constitutional amendment, he added.
Additional reporting by Huang Ching-hsuan and Chen Cheng-yu
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