The law governing the National Assembly's exercise of power passed a preliminary review at the legislature's Legislative Committee yesterday, but contentious articles such as ratification thresholds for constitutional amendments, territorial change and impeachment of the president and vice president were put aside.
Differences on the disputed articles are expected to be ironed out during cross-party negotiations before the bill proceeds to a plenary legislative session for second and third readings.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Lai Ching-te (
"We are very sorry that no consensus was reached today on the ratification thresholds and we are afraid that the constitutional amendment bill passed last year will end up stillborn if the law governing assembly members' duties fails to pass in time," Lai said.
"I am calling on the KMT to open their door for negotiation a little wider," he said.
KMT caucus whip Chen Chieh (
"So far, I have not yet seen a single goodwill gesture extended by them," Chen said. "We have been waiting for them to respond, but they have turned a deaf ear to our request and don't seem to care."
Articles requiring cross-party talks include whether representatives of political parties should be allowed to vote independently and the threshold for the assembly to ratify constitutional amendments, territorial changes and impeachment of the president and vice president.
The version proposed by People First Party (PFP) Legislator Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) argued that party representatives had to toe the party line when casting votes or ballots, which must be cast openly.
As to the ratification threshold for constitutional amendments, the DPP and KMT legislative caucuses argue that the consent of only half of assembly members should be required, but the Taiwan Solidarity Union, the PFP and the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union say that a three-fourths requirement makes more sense.
The parties seem to hold more similar positions on the ratification threshold for territorial change and impeachment of the president and vice president, however.
They propose that two-thirds of assembly members be present and that the consent of three-quarters be required to confirm territorial changes.
The proposed ratification threshold for the impeachment of the president and vice president, meanwhile, is two-thirds of assembly members.
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