Tsai Chi-chang elected DPP legislative caucus convener

Taipei, Feb. 24 (CNA) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker and former deputy speaker of the Legislative Yuan Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌), 56, was elected convener of the party's legislative caucus on Tuesday, replacing veteran lawmaker Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘).

Ker, who had held the convener's post for 25 years, had previously indicated that he plans to leave the Legislature at the end of his current term.

The caucus meeting followed the DPP's long-standing practice of electing its leadership on the first day of a new legislative session.

Under DPP rules, the party's legislative caucus convener serves a one-year term and may seek reelection, while lawmakers who have served at least three terms are eligible to run. Tsai is currently serving his fifth term as a legislator.

In addition, DPP lawmaker Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) was selected caucus director-general, while fellow party lawmaker Fan Yun (范雲) was named caucus secretary-general.

Tsai, the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) commissioner, previously served as the second deputy speaker in Taiwan's history from outside the Kuomintang (KMT) after Chung Jung-chi (鍾榮吉) of the People First Party.

Tsai is also the first DPP member to step down from the deputy speakership and return to serving solely as a rank-and-file legislator.