Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) heavyweights are beginning to jostle for legislator-at-large positions amid rumors that the party’s national congress plans to confirm Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) as its presidential candidate on July 19, KMT sources said.
The KMT’s focus is beginning to shift toward legislative candidates, with the party’s ability to maintain its majority seen as a key factor in whether it would be able to preserve its power base after the combined presidential and legislator elections in January, sources said.
The scales are tipped against Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) seeking to retain his position, sources said.
Wang has been nominated for legislator-at-large three times in a row, although he faced difficulties obtaining support for the third in 2011, when President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), then-KMT chairman, supported him only at the last minute.
The KMT amended regulations on nominations for legislators-at-large and overseas legislators in 2011, allowing members with “special contributions and who the party needs, as well as holding the position of legislative speaker” to be nominated for two successive terms instead of one.
Even though the KMT revised the rules to allow Wang to be nominated again, Ma would perhaps be the first to oppose Wang’s nomination, the source said.
KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) and Hung both said that the party would stick to the rules for this election, setting the tone against Wang.
The source said Vice President Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) was first place in considerations for a legislator-at-large nomination, adding that Wu is thought to have his sights on the speaker role.
KMT Vice Chairman Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) is also a prime candidate for a legislative seat in Taipei, Taichung or Keelung, the source said.
If Hau wins a seat, he would also be a strong candidate for speaker, the source said.
The party has so far denied speculation and said no plans for legislator-at-large nominees have been made.
Other sources said that Wu was not a political ally of Chu’s and there was little chance for him to be “first place” on any purported list of legislator-at-large nominations, adding that the party’s higher echelons had thus far had no discussion on the issue.
Wu’s possible legislator-at-large bid would also touch on administrative regulations, the source said.
If the position of vice president is vacant, the president is required to nominate another candidate to be elected by the Legislative Yuan to serve until the original term is concluded, the source added.
The next legislature is to be sworn in on Feb. 1 next year, while Wu’s term is to end on May 19.
There is no need for the Presidential Office or the party to go to such extremes, the source said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
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