Wang as At-Large Legislator? Eric Chu Says KMT Has Pre-set Schedule

 Wang as At-Large Legislator? Eric Chu Says KMT Has Pre-set Schedule

Source: All Taipei Newspapers

Sep. 14, 2015

Although some KMT legislators reportedly hope to amend the party rules on nominating at-large legislators on party list, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) stated yesterday that he had not heard anything about that, so he could not comment. KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) stated that the KMT had a pre-set schedule for nominating at-large legislators, so the KMT would follow its rules as scheduled.  

 The KMT at-large legislative nomination rules had previously stipulated that a KMT member could be nominated as an at-large legislator on party list for a maximum of two terms. However, the KMT amended its nomination rules in 2011 so as to allow Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng to be nominated as an at-large legislator for a third time. As Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng had been elected on party list as an at-large legislator in 2004, 2008, and 2012, whether the KMT would again revise the KMT party rules in order to accommodate Wang has drawn close attention from all circles.    

 Voices supporting Wang to become an at-large legislator had gained traction since the KMT's new Central Standing Committee (CSC) was elected in August. Liao Kuo-tung (廖國棟), a pro-Wang legislator and KMT CSC member, stated on September 12 that this seemed to be the trend, adding that he would exchange views with Speaker Wang on whether it was appropriate for him to propose revising the party rules at the CSC so as to allow Wang to serve another term as an at-large legislator.

 Another pro-Wang legislator stated that a great deal of criticism of Wang was meant "to please deep Blue supporters." However, the same legislator stated that the KMT might only secure 45 seats in next year's legislative elections given the KMT's current low support ratings. Therefore, many KMT members hoped that Wang Jin-pyng could be renominated on the party list, so that he could stump for other KMT legislative candidates and help reverse the tide, leading the KMT to secure a minimum of 50 seats in the 2016 legislative elections, the same legislator concluded.   

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