TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Opposition parties launched impeachment proceedings against President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) Thursday (Dec. 18), prompting a sharp response from the presidential office Friday. Karen Kuo (郭雅慧), spokesperson for the Office of the President (總統府), addressed the move by the Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's main opposition party, and Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨). The actions at the Legislative Yuan (立法院), Taiwan's parliament, demonstrate the balance of powers between the premier and president, Kuo said.
Kuo emphasized the presidential office's respect for the impeachment proceedings but criticized the opposition for proposing excessive and illegal bills. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) refused to endorse the bills to protect national security and maintain fiscal stability, she stated. The refusal sparked the opposition's impeachment motion against President Lai.
KMT and TPP legislators held a press conference at the Legislative Yuan Thursday to announce the impeachment motion against President Lai. The lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with Lai's support for Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), who refused to endorse the Fiscal Revenue and Expenditure Division Act (財政收支劃分法). Cho cited constitutional principles in his refusal to countersign the opposition-backed legislation.
Opposition legislators displayed a large impeachment document at the press conference, comparing Lai to former Chinese President Yuan Shi-kai (袁世凱). They used Yuan's image to imply Lai acts as a dictator. The impeachment document invoked the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China (中華民國憲法增修條文). The document highlighted the need to preserve the constitutional system and oppose dictatorship and authoritarian expansion.