TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Legislative Yuan (立法院), the island's parliament, convened Wednesday (Jan. 21) for its first full committee meeting on the impeachment motion against President Lai Ching-te (賴清德). The Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's main opposition party, and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) displayed a cardboard cutout showing Lai alongside Yuan Shi-kai (袁世凱). The composite image referenced a controversial early 20th-century Chinese leader, symbolizing the president's absence from the proceedings.
The KMT and TPP initiated the impeachment proposal, which passed the initial procedural vote, advancing the motion to formal deliberation. The Office of the President (總統府) confirmed Lai's absence, citing the Legislative Yuan's lack of constitutional authority to hold the president directly accountable. The presidential office maintained that Taiwan's constitution does not grant parliament the power to summon the head of state for questioning on legislative matters.
Opposition leaders sharply criticized President Lai for skipping the session. Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁), KMT caucus leader, stated that Wednesday is the most regrettable day in Taiwan's constitutional history. TPP caucus leader Huang Kuo-chang highlighted Lai's controversial decision in 2024 not to promulgate an act passed by the Legislative Yuan, arguing it left an indelible stain on Taiwan's constitutional history.
Fu emphasized that the process adheres to Article 4, Paragraph 7 of the Constitution, which requires over half of the legislators to initiate impeachment, dismissing claims of political vendetta. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨), Taiwan's ruling party, legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) accused opposition parties of using the impeachment as a platform for local election campaigns. Chung specifically targeted TPP legislator Chang Qui-kai (張啓楷) for addressing his Chiayi constituents during the proceedings.