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Sylvie Zhuang

Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) announced on Friday they would try to impeach the island’s leader, William Lai Ching-te, according to reports from Taiwanese media.
Fu Kun-chi, the convenor of the KMT caucus in Taiwan’s parliament, accused Lai of undermining constitutional norms and behaving in an authoritarian manner.
“Lai must step down and Taiwan must not allow the emergence of figures like Yuan Shikai or Cao Kun,” Fu said, according to Taiwanese newspaper China Times.
Yuan was a dominant military figure who emerged after the fall of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). He became president of the Republic of China but then dismantled Republican institutions and crowned himself emperor in 1915. Cao Kun later became president through blatant vote-buying.
Huang Kuo-chang, the convenor of the TPP caucus, echoed the sentiment.
“Steps must be taken to prevent Lai from turning into another Yuan,” Huang said, according to China Times.
The call to impeach the island’s leader is more likely a symbolic gesture than a practical possibility. It would require the vast majority – at least 76 legislators – to agree. However, the opposition camp only holds 62 seats in the 113-seat chamber.

The two opposition parties on Thursday also proposed impeaching Cho Jung-tai, the premier of the Executive Yuan, the island’s cabinet, for refusing to countersign the Fiscal Allocation Act.
The calls for impeachment come as the Taiwanese government refuses to enforce amendments passed by the opposition-controlled legislature last month on local government funding, a move that has sparked controversy and deepened a political stand-off in Taipei.
Cho announced on Monday that the cabinet would refuse to countersign the amendments passed by the legislature last month. It marked the first time in Taiwan’s history that a cabinet has declined to countersign legislation approved after a third and final reading.
Cho insisted that the move was to safeguard Taiwan’s institutions and that it was lawful despite accusations of executive overreach.
Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government has argued that a provision of the island’s constitution allows the executive to withhold its signature under exceptional circumstances, while critics say it is an abuse of power.
The impeachment threats are the latest in a series of confrontations between the ruling DPP and the opposition parties, who hold a weak majority in the island’s legislature.
Tensions between the legislature and the DPP-led government have remained high since Lai took office in May last year.
Earlier this year, the DPP sought to unseat opposition lawmakers with a months-long recall campaign but failed to unseat a single member.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, the island’s main international partner, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-ruled island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.


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Taiwan’s opposition lawmakers vow to impeach leader William Lai

Tensions between Taiwan’s legislature and the Democratic Progressive Party-led government have been high since William Lai Ching-te took office as the island’s leader in May last year. Photo: EPA

Huang Kuo-chang (centre) of the Taiwan People’s Party is among the opposition lawmakers to call for the impeachment of Taiwan’s leader, William Lai Ching-te. Photo: CNA

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Taiwanese leader William Lai has been accused by the opposition of “misusing” the constitution. Photo: EPA

Premier Cho Jung-tai has accused the opposition of undermining the constitutional system. Photo: CNA

Taiwan opposition blocks US$40 billion defence budget, prompting protests from ruling DPP

A Patriot missile system is deployed at a park in Taipei, Taiwan during the Han Kuang military exercise on July 11. Photo: AFP

Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te (centre) takes a group photo with reservists in Yilan county, Taiwan on December 2. Photo: AFP

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Proposal is likely to be a symbolic gesture as impeachment would require 76 legislators to agree, while opposition camp holds only 62 seats


Proposal is likely to be a symbolic gesture as impeachment would require 76 legislators to agree, while opposition camp holds only 62 seats.


Kuomintang

Huang Kuo-chang

William Lai Ching-te

Taiwan’s opposition lawmakers vow to impeach leader William Lai

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Proposal is likely to be a symbolic gesture as impeachment would require 76 legislators to agree, while opposition camp holds only 62 seats

Proposal is likely to be a symbolic gesture as impeachment would require 76 legislators to agree, while opposition camp holds only 62 seats