The Legislative Yuan yesterday approved a motion to initiate impeachment proceedings against President William Lai (賴清德), saying he had undermined Taiwan’s constitutional order and democracy.
The motion was approved 61-50 by lawmakers from the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), who together hold a legislative majority.
Under the motion, a roll call vote for impeachment would be held on May 19 next year, after various hearings are held and Lai is given the chance to defend himself.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
The move came after Lai on Monday last week did not promulgate an amendment passed by the legislature that would have given local governments a larger share of public revenues.
It was the first time in contemporary Taiwanese history that a president had failed to promulgate a law enacted by lawmakers.
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) had declined to countersign the legislation, saying that the legislation would have hurt Taiwan’s fiscal sustainability.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Lai said Cho’s move made it impossible for him to publicly announce the new law.
KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) said the impeachment was filed because Lai undermined the country’s democracy and constitutional order, and contravened the Constitution since taking office.
TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said the president’s alleged breaches of constitutional order should be addressed through impeachment proceedings to highlight the Legislative Yuan’s role under a democratic constitutional system.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) and Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) accused the opposition of treating the Constitution too lightly and using impeachment as a political game.
The motion was a partisan attack that would not meet the two-third legislative threshold required to impeach Lai, Wu said, accusing the opposition of trying to humiliate the president.
Before the planned roll call vote, the Legislative Yuan is to hold public hearings on Jan. 14 and 15 to hear opinions from members of civil society about the impeachment.
Lai would be invited to explain his position during the legislature’s review sessions scheduled for Jan. 21 and 22, and May 13 and 14.
A separate hearing on April 27 would invite government officials and other parties to give their testimonies, followed by questioning by legislators.
Under the Constitution, impeachment motions against the president or vice president must be proposed by at least half of all legislators and approved by a two-thirds of the Legislative Yuan before being submitted to the Constitutional Court.
If at least two-thirds of the court’s justices agree, the impeachment would be upheld and the impeached person would be removed from office.
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