Taipei: President Lai Ching-te criticized opposition parties for their impeachment attempts against him, labeling the move as "impossible to clear the legislative floor" and urging them to focus on budget reviews instead. Lai's comments came in response to a reporter's inquiry following his New Year's Day address concerning the impeachment plans initiated by the opposition.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), which together hold a legislative majority, passed a motion on December 26 to begin impeachment proceedings against Lai. The motion was based on Lai's failure to promulgate a legislative amendment intended to increase the public revenue share allocated to local governments, marking a first in Taiwanese history.
Lai pointed out that the impeachment would require a two-thirds majority in the Legislature to proceed to the Constitutional Court, a scenario he deemed unlikely and a "waste of time." He implored the opposition to use their efforts to review essential budgets and bills that could drive economic growth, questioning the rationale behind their pursuit of impeachment.
The current legislative composition includes 60 seats held by the KMT and TPP, 51 by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and two by KMT-leaning independents, making a two-thirds majority improbable. The opposition has also delayed the review of the 2026 general budget proposal, an unprecedented occurrence at the start of a new fiscal year.
KMT spokesperson Niu Hsu-ting responded by highlighting Lai's failure to address opposition demands, despite calls for reconciliation. Niu criticized the DPP for not allocating funds for military personnel pay raises, a legal amendment passed by the opposition in June, questioning the feasibility of a smooth budget review process.
The TPP also expressed discontent with the administration's handling of budget allocations, particularly concerning the NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.82 billion) special defense spending plan. They criticized the lack of transparency in the plan, especially amid delays in weapon deliveries from the United States, urging clarity on what the funds would specifically cover.
