The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday criticized President William Lai (賴清德) over his appointees to the Judicial Yuan, saying they were politically motivated.
Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) on Friday announced the president’s picks to lead the judicial branch and fill openings on the Constitutional Court after the president, vice president and five justices step down on Oct. 31.
National Taiwan University law professor Chang Wen-chen (張文貞) was named to lead the branch, while Yao Li-ming (姚立明), director of Lai’s presidential campaign headquarters in January’s election, was tapped for the vice presidency.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
The appointees must be confirmed by the legislature.
At a news conference yesterday, the KMT caucus said all the nominees are affiliated with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Chang last month argued to the Constitutional Court that the process by which controversial legislative reform bills were passed earlier this year contained “manifest and gross procedural flaws” and should be ruled unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, Yao’s “only achievement” was leading Lai to electoral victory in January, the KMT said.
Yao from 1996 to 1999 served as a lawmaker with the New Party, a KMT splinter party favoring closer ties with China, and was the campaign head for Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) when he ran as an independent for Taipei mayor in 2014.
Lai chose “henchmen” rather than justices who are looking to uphold the Constitution, the caucus said, adding that it cannot accept the nominations.
Taiwanese are worried about the neutrality of the judiciary, especially the Constitutional Court, KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Szu-ming (林思銘) said.
One of the nominees to the court — Academia Sinica professor Fort Liao (廖福特) — is a member of the DPP’s arbitration committee and was an expert witness against renewing CTi News’ license, Lin said.
Another justice nominee — Academia Sinica research professor Liu Ching-yi (劉靜怡) — was an expert witness on the DPP’s side in a case on the constitutionality of the Act Governing the Settlement of Ill-gotten Properties by Political Parties and Their Affiliate Organizations (政黨及其附隨組織不當取得財產處理條例), he said.
The court is set to decide a major case on the death penalty, KMT caucus deputy secretary-general Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) said.
Of the 15 current justices, nine have expressed a preference to abolish the death penalty, she said, adding that of the seven nominees, six have advocated for its abolishment.
In response, the Presidential Office yesterday said that all seven nominees have deep legal knowledge and a progressive outlook, urging the opposition to review their cases rationally.
The nominees were chosen because they are professional, progressive and have an internationalized perspective with practical experience in balancing legal theory and the practice of law, Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said.
Additional reporting by Chen Yun and CNA
The government should improve children’s outdoor spaces and accelerate carbon reduction programs, as the risk of heat-related injury due to high summer temperatures rises each year, Greenpeace told a news conference yesterday. Greenpeace examined summer temperatures in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to determine the effects of high temperatures and climate change on children’s outdoor activities, citing data garnered by China Medical University, which defines a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 29°C or higher as posing the risk of heat-related injury. According to the Central Weather Administration, WBGT, commonly referred to as the heat index, estimates
Taipei and other northern cities are to host air-raid drills from 1:30pm to 2pm tomorrow as part of urban resilience drills held alongside the Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan’s largest annual military exercises. Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to hold the annual Wanan air defense exercise tomorrow, following similar drills held in central and southern Taiwan yesterday and today respectively. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Maokong Gondola are to run as usual, although stations and passenger parking lots would have an “entry only, no exit” policy once air raid sirens sound, Taipei
Taipei placed 14th in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best Student Cities 2026 list, its highest ever, according to results released yesterday. With an overall score of 89.1, the city climbed 12 places from the previous year, surpassing its previous best ranking of 17th in 2019. Taipei is “one of Asia’s leading higher-education hubs,” with strong employer activity scores and students “enjoying their experience of the city and often keen to stay after graduation,” a QS staff writer said. In addition to Taipei, Hsinchu (71st), Tainan (92nd), Taichung (113th) and Taoyuan (130th) also made QS’ list of the top 150 student cities. Hsinchu showed the
Environmental groups yesterday filed an appeal with the Executive Yuan, seeking to revoke the environmental impact assessment (EIA) conditionally approved in February for the Hsieh-ho Power Plant’s planned fourth liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving station off the coast of Keelung. The appeal was filed jointly by the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group, the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association and the Keelung City Taiwan Head Cultural Association, which together held a news conference outside the Executive Yuan in Taipei. Explaining the reasons for the appeal, Wang Hsing-chih (王醒之) of the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group said that the EIA failed to address
RSS