TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The leader of Taiwan's main opposition party signaled Wednesday (April 23) that while a parliamentary no-confidence vote against the government remains under consideration, most party legislators are reluctant to pursue this strategy. Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) urged his party members to prioritize Taiwan's democratic institutions while calling for unified efforts to preserve democratic values on the self-governed island.
Chu made these remarks during a KMT Central Standing Committee meeting, where he emphasized the critical importance of maintaining solidarity among Taiwan's opposition political forces. The veteran politician acknowledged that internal party deliberations regarding a potential no-confidence vote against the current administration have been ongoing since January, reflecting months of strategic debate within the party.
"Today, the people want to topple Lai Ching-te, not a straw man," Chu declared, suggesting that public dissatisfaction is directed at the president rather than his cabinet. He cautioned that merely replacing Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), who heads Taiwan's executive branch, would be ineffective since President Lai could simply appoint another premier. Chu further alleged that Lai was deliberately trying to sow discord both within the KMT and among Taiwan's opposition parties.
The opposition leader revealed he had held talks with Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) the previous day, reaching consensus on the necessity for opposition cooperation on economic, democratic, and judicial issues. Chu reaffirmed that the majority of KMT lawmakers remain opposed to pursuing a no-confidence vote, believing such a measure would fail to effectively challenge President Lai's authority. "All democratic means are on the table for the KMT, and strategy and unity are paramount," he concluded. ★
