Decimate the Green Autocracy of the Five-Power Commander-in-Chief

 Decimate the Green Autocracy of the Five-Power Commander-in-Chief

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

May 29, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

The Presidential Office made public the names of four Grand Justices nominated by President Tsai Ing-wen, three of whom having bright political attitudes. The KMT legislative caucus has questioned the "correctness of the color" of the nominees, saying President Tsai Ing-wen “attempted to intervene in the judiciary, breaking through the last line of defense in a democratic country.” In accordance with the “Constitutional Litigation Act”, which will come into force in 2022, the Grand Justices will have the power to dissolve political parties; President Tsai’s selfish nominations will create a crisis of uncertainty for Taiwan’s democratic constitutional governance.

The KMT legislative caucus’ worries were not unfounded. Currently, six members of the Control Yuan nominated by President Tsai, disregarding the principle of separation of powers, joined hands in adopting a motion of impeachment against a prosecutor who had acted in a way deemed unfavorable to a DPP legislator. For the Central Election Commission (CEC), which must transcend politics and maintain complete independence in handling electoral affairs, Premier Su Tseng-chang, however, nominated a local official, of DPP affiliation, who had lost in the last election, as CEC chairman, then railroaded the confirmation proceedings in the Legislative Yuan (LY) despite negative comments from various circles. The National Communications Commission (NCC) is an independent agency, but the Cabinet forced the NCC to conduct substantive reviews of the contents of news channels, and the NCC chairman, who had hesitations and misgivings, was “compelled to resign.” The Examination Yuan (EY) is a constitutional organ and one of the five constitutional powers; the DPP has long wanted to eliminate it, but has gotten nowhere because of constitutional limitations. The Legislative Yuan, however, has attempted to cut the numbers of the Examination Yuan, trying to hollow the EY out, eliciting a vehement backlash. Now President Tsai Ing-wen, again relying on her "unique political wisdom", has nominated four Grand Justices with correct colors. Wouldn’t her intentions be questioned?

“The Constitution of the Republic of China” is operating under the spirit of the five-power Constitution. Now the mechanism of the separation and checks and balances of the five powers has practically withered to the brink of death, all subservient to the President. Thus, Tsai Ing-wen has become the "five-power commander-in-chief", in complete control of the five-power government. The key figures for the five powers, being sycophantic, act on orders, twisting the nature of independence that ought to exist in the constitutional organs.

For the good of the present, we can only hope that the entire population, relying on the concept that sovereignty is vested in the people, release a roar of righteousness and solemnly supervise the exercise of the confirmation power of the Legislative Yuan. More importantly, in next year’s presidential and legislative elections, use the ballot to jettison the DPP legislators who vote for nominations, taking back the monopolistic role of allowing the DPP to simultaneously control the executive and  legislative powers, so as to safeguard the independence of the Judiciary, while decimating the Green autocracy wielded by the five-power commander-in-chief. 

Attachment : none