Opposition lawmakers chide Lai at impeachment hearing

Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) Opposition lawmakers on Wednesday lashed out at President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) in the Legislature after Lai declined to appear at a hearing on an impeachment motion directed at him.

Opposition lawmakers initiated impeachment proceedings against Lai last month after the president declined to promulgate a bill passed by the opposition lawmakers that would increase the share of tax revenue allocated to local governments.

A first impeachment hearing was held Wednesday based on the schedule passed by the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People's Party (TPP).

The two parties invited the president to explain his position at the Legislature and respond to lawmakers' questions, but, in a letter to Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) on Tuesday, Lai declined to attend.

He said it was not within lawmakers' purview to question the president, citing an Oct. 2024 Constitutional Court ruling that declared such an act unconstitutional.

Despite Lai's absence, lawmakers proceeded to make speeches as originally planned.

KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) said that by declining to attend the hearing, Lai attempted to evade legislative oversight and public scrutiny after he had infringed on Taiwan's democracy and constitutional order.

TPP caucus convener Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said Lai is the first president of the Republic of China (Taiwan's official name) to refuse to promulgate a bill passed by the Legislature, which has left an "indelible blot" in history.

Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜), a lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, criticized the opposition parties, however, for putting on a "farce to humiliate" Lai and "score political points."

Under Taiwanese law, the president was not obligated to attend Tuesday's hearing, and his decision not to attend was not only legitimate but also sensible, Chen said.

A second hearing on the opposition's impeachment attempt is scheduled for May, with lawmakers set to vote on the motion on May 19.

The motion must gain the backing of at least two-thirds of all lawmakers before it can proceed to another vote by grand justices at the Constitutional Court.

This will be nearly impossible as the KMT, TPP and two independents ideologically aligned with the KMT combine for only 62 (or about 55 percent) of the 113 legislative seats.