TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Central Election Commission Department of Electoral Affairs chief Wang Hsiao-lin (王曉麟) said Wednesday that delays in appointing a new chair and commissioners have already affected preparations for Taiwan’s 2026 elections.
The legislature confirmed You Ying-lung (游盈隆) as CEC chair, along with Su Jia-hong (蘇嘉宏), Su Tzu-chiao (蘇子喬), and Lee Li-chung (李禮仲) as commissioners, while excluding DPP nominees. The Cabinet has accused the opposition of deception and said it will not proceed with formal appointments until the opposition “shows goodwill.”
KMT Legislator Chang Chih-lun (張智倫) questioned Wang on the impact of the delay, noting the commission has been unable to meet quorum requirements since November 2025, per Newtalk. Wang said the CEC has relied on informal discussions but cannot finalize key decisions, including the number of seats up for election and campaign spending limits, without formal meetings.
Wang added that delays in confirming local election commission members in Taipei and five other municipalities could further disrupt election preparations. He also said the situation could affect future referendums and by-elections.
TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) urged the Cabinet to appoint the confirmed members to avoid disruptions to year-end elections, per Liberty Times. He said the opposition had agreed to nominate candidates, not to accept all government-backed nominees.
KMT Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) echoed those concerns, calling on Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) to consider the potential impact on Taiwan’s democratic processes, per China Times.
In a related exchange, TPP Legislator Lee Chen-hsiu (李貞秀), whose status has been challenged by the DPP, attempted to question Wang on the legal basis for the Cabinet’s delay, per ETtoday. Wang approached the microphone but stepped back after warnings from DPP lawmakers.
When Lee asked whether the CEC issued election certificates to her and to borough chiefs who are Chinese spouses, Wang appeared to shake his head without verbally responding. Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) was seen giving Wang a stern look during the exchange.
KMT lawmaker Liao Hsien-hsiang (廖先翔), who chaired the meeting, said Wang’s decision not to respond would stand as part of the legislative record.
Wang later said he had intended to clarify the CEC’s role in issuing certificates but chose to respond at another time. He added that Liu did not directly address him during the exchange, per SETN.
