The dissolution of the National Women’s League was made official yesterday with a document from the Ministry of Interior (MOI).
The ministry ordered the dissolution because the league refused to transform into a political party in accordance with the the Political Parties Act (政黨法) before a government deadline.
The league was founded in 1950 by Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) wife, Soong Mayling (宋美齡), to provide care for military families.
Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times
According to the act, which took effect on Dec. 6, 2017, all political groups had to revise their charters and transform into political parties within two years following the promulgation of the regulations.
The deadline had been due to expire on Dec. 6 last year, but the ministry extended it for four months to allow the league to make preparations, Deputy Minister of Interior Hua Ching-chun (花敬群) said.
However, as it refused to comply, the ministry was forced to order its dissolution, Hua said.
National Women’s League chair Joanna Lei (雷倩) said that members on Oct. 16 last year voted against becoming a party.
In a news release on Sunday, Lei said that the ministry should not dissolve the group, as it was transforming into a public welfare foundation.
The transformation order was a breach of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of assembly and association, she said.
The league decided against becoming a party out of concern that it would continue to be subject to political persecution by the government’s Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee, she said.
The committee in February 2018 ruled that the league was affiliated with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and in March last year it froze NT$38.7 billion (US$1.29 billion at the current exchange rate) of its assets, ruling that they belong to the state.
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