Taiwan Cabinet enters caretaker mode after post-election resignation

Taipei, Jan. 18 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Thursday asked Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) and his entire Cabinet to stay on in a caretaker role to ensure a smooth handover of political power, following the submission of their post-election joint resignation, according to the Presidential Office.

Last Saturday, Taiwanese voters elected the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te (賴清德) into power, but the DPP lost its absolute majority in the 113-seat Legislature.

In accordance with established constitutional practice, Chen and his entire Cabinet tendered their joint resignation at the weekly Cabinet meeting on Thursday, ahead of the newly-elected legislators being seated on Feb. 1, according to Cabinet spokesman Lin Tze-luen (林子倫).

The move was in line with Constitutional Court Interpretation No. 387, which states that the premier, though appointed by the president, is accountable to the Legislature, and should hence resign along with their full Cabinet before the first session of each new Legislature.

Chen, who has headed up the Cabinet since January 2023, submitted the joint resignation to the president who then asked Chen and the rest of the Cabinet to remain in their positions in a placeholder capacity until Lai takes office on May 20, to help stabilize the political situation and demonstrate Taiwan's democratic maturity through a smooth handover of power, according to the Presidential Office spokesperson Olivia Lin (林聿禪).

Chen said Thursday that the Cabinet is entering a caretaker period and that he hopes the team will keep working with the new parliament to push forward various policies for the benefit of the country and the people, according to the Cabinet spokesman.

The new Legislature will include 52 legislators from the main opposition Kuomintang, 51 from the DPP, eight from the upstart Taiwan People's Party, and two independents.