Presidential Impeachment Vote in Legislative Yuan on 19th; KMT and TPP to Support, DPP to Vote Against

(CNA, Taipei, May 18, reporters Chen Chun-hua, Wang Yang-yu, Liu Kuan-ting) The Legislative Yuan will hold a recorded vote on the impeachment of President Lai Ching-te on the 19th, with both the ruling and opposition parties issuing top-level mobilization orders. The Kuomintang (KMT) caucus stated today that it supports the impeachment and will vote unanimously. The Taiwan People's Party (TPP) caucus said it will vote as a bloc to hold the president accountable for dereliction of duty. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus pointed out that the opposition parties are treating the constitutional system as a political stage and will enter the chamber to cast votes against the motion. Additionally, the Legislative Yuan passed the 'Special Act for Procurement for National Security and Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities' on its third reading on the 8th, stipulating a budget cap of NT$300 billion for the first batch of military purchase letters of offer and acceptance. As the first installment of about NT$800 million for the HIMARS multiple rocket launcher system is due on May 31, the Legislative Yuan will invite Premier Cho Jung-tai on the afternoon of the 19th to present a special report on the preparation of the special budget for the first batch of procurements under the act. Following Premier Cho's announcement that he would not countersign the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures, KMT and TPP legislators initiated impeachment proceedings against President Lai. After a public hearing, two review meetings, and a hearing, a recorded vote on the impeachment will be held in the Legislative Yuan on the 19th. This is the first presidential impeachment vote in the constitutional history of the Republic of China, and the voting intentions of all parties are being closely watched. DPP caucus whip Chuang Jui-hsiung said in an interview that impeaching the president is a very serious matter with a very high threshold, but the opposition is using the constitutional system as a political stage for political struggle, which is meaningless for domestic political stability and the legislature's oversight of the executive branch. Chuang said, 'The DPP must express a solemn attitude. On the day of the vote on the 19th, DPP legislators will enter the chamber to cast 'no' votes. We won't play along with your drama, but we will solemnly express our opposition when we vote.' KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang stated that the KMT caucus will vote unanimously tomorrow to express its support and stance on the impeachment. TPP caucus convener Chen Ching-lung said that President Lai is approaching his second year in office, but his campaign promises have all been broken, and he has acted unconstitutionally and illegally, completely disrespecting the legislature. He fails to promulgate, execute, or budget for laws passed by the legislature, circumvents personnel appointments after they are blocked, and frequently uses internet trolls for red-baiting and judicial persecution of the opposition. Chen stated that impeachment is not a political struggle but a power granted to the legislature by the Constitution. Facing a president who subverts the constitution and disrupts governance, the TPP caucus will vote as a bloc to hold the president accountable for his dereliction of duty. The Legislative Yuan currently has 113 seats. According to the party distribution, the KMT, including independents Chen Chao-ming and Kao Chin Su-mei who caucus with them, has 54 seats, the DPP has 51 seats, and the TPP has 8 seats. According to the Additional Articles of the Constitution, an impeachment motion against the president or vice president requires a proposal by one-half of all legislators and a resolution by two-thirds or more, after which it is submitted to the Grand Justices of the Judicial Yuan for adjudication. If approved by two-thirds or more of the total number of Grand Justices in the Constitutional Court, the impeachment is established, and the impeached person is removed from office. In other words, if 38 legislators vote against it, the impeachment motion will not pass. In addition, the legislative caucuses reached a consensus on the 15th, agreeing to invite the Premier and relevant ministers on the afternoon of the 19th to present a special report on the preparation of the special budget for the first batch of procurements under the 'Special Act for Procurement for National Security and Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities' and to be questioned. The KMT and DPP caucuses will each send three members, and the TPP caucus will send one to conduct the questioning. The consensus states that if the Legislative Yuan agrees to the Executive Yuan's preparation of the special budget for the first batch of procurements under the special military purchase act after the report, an extra session of the Legislative Yuan will be held on the afternoon of the 20th, and the Executive Yuan is requested to send the special budget to the Legislative Yuan by noon on the 20th. The Executive Yuan is expected to hold an extraordinary session on the morning of the 20th to pass the special budget. (Editor: Su Chih-tsung)