TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Secretary-General to the President Chen Chu (陳菊) said that she will leave the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in order to take charge of the Control Yuan, an independent government agency responsible for monitoring other government bureaus.

"Today, my new role requires me to gradually move away from the political circle," remarked Chen at the nomination press conference Monday afternoon (June 22). She said this would give her the opportunity to return to the human rights work that first motivated her to enter politics more than five decades ago, referring to her new post as Control Yuan president and head of the National Human Rights Commission, a new institute established under the Control Yuan last year.

In addition to leaving the DPP, which she helped found, Chen will no longer take part in political events nor take on any party positions. "The work at the Control Yuan must transcend partisanship," Chen said, promising that she will "exercise her power fairly." 

Her departure from the DPP will take effect after the legislature approves the Control Yuan nominations.

Chen vowed to make the Control Yuan more just and effective. Control Yuan members' tasks include receiving complaints about government agencies, handling the impeachment and censure of public servants, conducting invigilation, and promoting human rights at the national level.

The nominations of Control Yuan personnel were made by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) based on the recommendations of a task force led by former Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁). The Presidential Office had originally planned to hold the press event last Friday (June 19) but was forced to postpone it after a backlash from both ruling and opposition parties against the nominee for the vice president of the body, Justin Huang (黃健庭), the former Taitung Magistrate.

Huang later withdrew from the nomination process after the Kuomintang (KMT) suspended his membership, with Chen Shen-hsien (陳伸賢), former deputy mayor of New Taipei City, also withdrawing from the nomination list less than 24 hours later due to public outcry. Secretary-General to the President Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) said at Monday's press conference that the president would nominate appropriate individuals for the two positions now left unfilled, but he did not set out a deadline.

Out of the 27 nominees for Control Yuan, 15 are men, and 12 are women. Seven nominees are sitting Control Yuan members.