The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is to unanimously approve incoming legislator-at-large Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) to run for legislative speaker with Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) as his deputy later this week, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday.
At a gathering with the KMT’s incoming legislators following the presidential and legislative elections on Jan. 13, Chu said the nominations of Han and Chiang would be approved at the party’s Central Standing Committee meeting tomorrow.
He thanked all party members for their support, including that of legislator-elect Fu Kun-chi, who agreed to withdraw his bid for legislative speaker after speaking with Chu.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
Promising that the KMT would be the strongest source of checks and balances in the legislature, Chu said the party would join with other opposition forces to back all reform-oriented bills and demonstrate its support for reforms and progressive values.
Despite its defeat in the presidential race, the KMT won the most seats of any party in the 113-member Legislative Yuan with 52, edging out the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which won 51.
If the KMT can team up with two pro-KMT independent legislators and the Taiwan People’s Party’s (TPP) eight legislators-at-large, the opposition could form an absolute majority of 62 seats in the legislature, Chu said.
Despite the party’s defeat in the presidential race, the KMT must show unity with other opposition forces as the biggest party in the legislature to push for its long-time goal of reform, he said.
Regarding the speakership vote, Chu said it must be clean and honest, and performed in unison to secure the position for Han.
Any deal in exchange for power or money would not be tolerated, he said.
Meanwhile, the DPP caucus said it would continue to back incumbent speaker Yu Si-kun and his deputy Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) for another term, giving the TPP the decisive role in determining who the next legislative speaker would be.
Although Chu is hoping for an alliance with the TPP, the smaller opposition party has not indicated any interest in such a partnership.
The newly elected 11th Legislative Yuan will be inaugurated on Thursday next week.
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