TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) clashed with KMT lawmakers at the Legislative Yuan on Tuesday over delays in appointing confirmed Central Election Commission members.
The legislature on March 13 confirmed pollster You Ying-lung (游盈隆) as CEC chair, along with Fooyin University professor Su Jia-hong (蘇嘉宏), Soochow University professor Su Tzu-chiao (蘇子喬), and China University of Science and Technology Vice President Lee Li-chung (李禮仲) as commissioners, per UP Media. The legislature forwarded the official documents to the Cabinet on March 17, but the Cabinet has not yet appointed the four nominees.
KMT Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) questioned Cho over the delay during a legislative session, pressing him on whether the KMT had promised to confirm DPP nominees, per UDN. Lo demanded evidence that the KMT caucus had agreed to approve all Cabinet-backed candidates.
Cho responded that sending official documents to legislative caucuses inviting nominations should have been understood as acceptance of the Cabinet’s slate as a whole. He accused the opposition of acting in bad faith, adding that the Cabinet would complete the appointment process if the legislature “made up for its deception.”
Lo rejected the accusation, saying the KMT had only agreed to proceed with nominations, not to guarantee confirmation of all candidates.
The KMT legislative caucus later condemned Cho’s remarks, denying any quid pro quo arrangement with the ruling party, per Knews. The caucus vowed to continue exercising oversight rather than offering what it called a “blank check” to the DPP.
The TPP also criticized the Cabinet for failing to finalize the appointments, arguing that the government has no authority to delay the process after legislative confirmation, per Storm Media.
TPP Legislative Caucus Convener Chen Ching-lung (陳清龍) said the legislature has a duty to ensure the CEC’s independence and impartiality, per Liberty Times. He likened Cho’s stance to “bandits demanding ransom,” accusing the Cabinet of conditioning appointments on political concessions.
Su Tzu-chiao, one of the confirmed nominees, urged the government to follow established procedures and avoid attaching political conditions to his appointment, per UDN. He warned that framing the commission along partisan lines risks undermining its independence.
Soochow University assistant professor Tso Yi-en (左宜恩) said the Cabinet may be signaling dissatisfaction with the legislature’s earlier rejection of its preferred nominees and attempting to reopen negotiations. He cautioned that voters could view the standoff negatively, particularly if the opposition appears to be obstructing appointments.
The dispute may also affect upcoming nominations to the Control Yuan. A DPP lawmaker not aligned with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said the party, as a legislative minority, must negotiate with the opposition but still secure tangible gains.
The lawmaker added that the breakdown in the CEC process, whether due to opposition obstruction or the government’s failure to secure firm commitments, has undermined confidence in future confirmation battles, per UDN. A DPP faction insider said the episode could prompt internal accountability, adding that “someone must take responsibility” for the failed coordination.
