Opposition lawmakers yesterday lashed out at President William Lai (賴清德) at a Legislative Yuan plenary session after Lai declined to appear at a hearing on an impeachment motion directed at him.
Opposition lawmakers initiated impeachment proceedings against Lai last month after the president declined to promulgate a bill passed by opposition lawmakers that would increase the share of tax revenue allocated to local governments.
This week’s first impeachment hearing was held yesterday based on the schedule passed by the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP).
Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA
The two parties demanded that the president explain his position at the legislature and respond to lawmakers’ questions, but Lai on Tuesday sent a letter to Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), rejecting the demand.
He said it was not within lawmakers’ purview to question the president, citing an October 2024 Constitutional Court ruling that declared such an act unconstitutional.
Despite Lai’s absence, lawmakers proceeded to make speeches as originally planned.
KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) said that by declining to attend the hearing, Lai attempted to evade legislative oversight and public scrutiny after he had infringed on Taiwan’s democracy and constitutional order.
TPP Chairman and caucus convener Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said Lai is the first president of Taiwan to refuse to promulgate a bill passed by the legislature, which has left an “indelible blot” in history.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) criticized the opposition parties for putting on a “farce to humiliate” Lai and “score political points.”
The president was not legally obligated to attend the hearing, and his decision not to attend was not only legitimate, but also sensible, Chen said.
A second hearing on the opposition’s impeachment attempt is scheduled for May, with lawmakers set to vote on the motion on May 19.
The motion must gain the backing of at least two-thirds of the legislature before it can proceed to another vote by grand justices at the Constitutional Court.
The passage of the motion is not likely as the KMT, TPP and two independents ideologically aligned with the KMT combine for only 62 (about 55 percent) of the 113 legislative seats.
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