TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The KMT and TPP said Friday they will vote against all three nominees for the Central Election Commission during the legislature's confirmation vote.
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) nominated former Cabinet counselor Shen Shu-fei (沈淑妃), lawyer Tsai Wei-che (蔡維哲) and Deputy Justice Minister Huang Mou-hsin (黃謀信) as CEC commissioners in April, per Knews. During a legislative hearing in June, some experts questioned whether Huang could serve impartially while remaining a political appointee at the Ministry of Justice.
Commenting on the opposition's decision, KMT Legislative Caucus Convener Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) said rejecting the nominees would allow President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) to submit a stronger list. TPP Legislative Caucus Convener Chen Ching-lung (陳清龍) said his party reached its decision after thoroughly reviewing the nominees' questionnaires, per Ftnn.
Chen said the TPP believes the nominees have political leanings that are too strong to allow them to carry out their duties impartially.
The DPP said it would support all three nominees, per Tai Sounds. DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) argued that the opposition should not reject academic and legal professionals simply because they were nominated by the ruling party.
Chuang said the opposition's own referendum proposals require a functioning CEC to proceed. He argued that what he described as obstruction, rather than legitimate legislative oversight, would leave independent government agencies unable to function.
The legislature will vote on the three nominees as a single package, per ETtoday. All three major parties have instructed their lawmakers to attend the vote.
Before Chen announced the TPP's position, TPP Legislator Hsu Chung-hsin (許忠信) had praised the nominees, describing them as among the legal profession's elite. His remarks briefly fueled speculation over how the party would vote.
The CEC currently has only eight commissioners, fewer than the number required to meet its quorum. In the previous confirmation vote, the opposition approved only CEC Chair You Ying-lung (游盈隆) and nominees proposed by the opposition.
