TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said at a press conference on Monday (Sept. 23) that the party will send questionnaires to nominees for the Constitutional Court (CC) while expressing skepticism over the prospects of President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) nominees for the Judicial Yuan's president and vice president.

The Office of the President announced on Aug. 30 its nominees for the Judicial Yuan, selecting National Taiwan University College of Law Professor Chang Wen-chen (張文貞) as president and former Director of the ROC Constitutional Law Society and Legislator Yao Li-ming (姚立明) as vice president. Huang indicated that the TPP is unlikely to support Chang and Yao but is willing to review the CC nominees fairly if they respond to the questionnaires, per CNA.

Huang tailored the current judicial questionnaire based on one he submitted during former President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) nomination process. The questionnaire addresses topics including the justice selection process for the CC and the abolishment of the death penalty.

He noted that many nominees have participated in the Judicial Reform Foundation, which he founded as a researcher at the Institutum Iurisprudentiae Academia Sinica. Huang hoped the nominees would fill out the questionnaire as their predecessors had.

Huang also criticized the CC’s verdict on the constitutionality of the death penalty, arguing that the phrase “only in the most severe offense” lacks sufficient explanation and clarity. He questioned whether a law stating that the death penalty may apply “only in the most severe offense” would violate principles of legal clarity.

The Constitutional Court is Taiwan's highest legal authority, responsible for interpreting the constitution and legislative acts, overseeing the president and vice president's impeachment, and the dissolution of unconstitutional political parties, per the CC official website. The nominees for the CC, as well as the Judicial Yuan leadership, faced scrutiny following the announcement.

Kuomintang (KMT) criticized the list for a perceived lack of balance, emphasizing the predominance of academic backgrounds and the absence of civil law experts, per CNA. On Sept. 2, KMT caucus leader Lin Szu-ming (林思銘) held a press conference reiterating these concerns, alleging that the nominees are favored by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

In response, DPP caucus leader Wu Szu-yao (吳思瑤) countered that many nominees had previously been critical of the ruling party. She argued that the diversity among the nominees should be celebrated and urged the opposition not to view the CC as merely an extension of the DPP, per CNA.

The New Power Party (NPP) also criticized Lai's selection of Yao as vice president, citing his lack of academic contributions and experience in the legal system. The NPP has requested that Lai withdraw Yao's nomination, drawing parallels to Tsai's actions in 2016.