Taipei Mayor Chiang Wenas's Shocking Resignation Sets Off a Wave of Turmoil in Taiwan Politics

Taipei City Mayor Chiang Wan-an recently dropped a bombshell by proposing to submit a no-confidence motion against the Executive Yuan, sparking a storm in the political arena. In response, Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Tseng Yung-chuan publicly stated that the motion of no-confidence is a serious matter and cannot be decided solely based on emotions. A thorough consultation and careful evaluation are necessary, she emphasized.

Moreover, Tseng Yung-chuan specifically pointed out that the attitude of the People First Party (PFP) is a crucial key to success or failure. She urged all parties to exercise caution and focus on the issue that is most concerning to the people, which is food safety. Tseng Yung-chuan called on her party members to continue to be vigilant and take the lead in ensuring the safety of oil and food products.

In the constitutional framework of Taiwan, the no-confidence motion (not a full-fledged "cabinet reshuffle") is an important tool for the Legislative Yuan to express its lack of trust in the Executive Yuan. According to Article 67 of the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China, the Legislative Yuan can propose a no-confidence motion against the Premier of the Executive Yuan with the support of at least one-third of all lawmakers. If the motion passes with the support of at least one-half of all lawmakers, the Premier must resign within 10 days and may also request the President to dissolve the Legislative Yuan. However, this would mean a complete re-election of lawmakers, which would come with a huge social cost and is difficult to predict the outcome of the elections.

Chiang Wan-an proposed the no-confidence motion in this instance because of the food safety concerns raised by the Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC) case. Food safety has been a highly sensitive issue in Taiwan, with numerous cases of controversy over imported pork, eggs, and various types of oil products. Taipei City, as the capital city, has been under great pressure from grassroots and public opinion to balance local food safety inspections and central government policies.

Chiang Wan-an's move to propose the no-confidence motion can be seen as standing up for local leaders and using strong political rhetoric to highlight the central government's lack of effort in addressing food safety issues. By doing so, he is trying to put pressure on the ruling party.

However, when faced with the passionate emotions of grassroots and Chiang Wan-an's hardline stance, KMT Chairman Tseng Yung-chuan showed a relatively conservative and practical attitude. Tseng Yung-chuan emphasized that the no-confidence motion must be carefully evaluated and that opinions from various parties must be sought. This reflects the KMT's recognition that, despite its significant presence in the Legislative Yuan, it cannot rely solely on its own strength to pass a no-confidence motion. In the current Legislative Yuan structure, the PFP holds key swing votes, and any major cross-party political actions require the support and cooperation of the PFP. Tseng Yung-chuan's remarks highlighted the importance of the PFP's stance, which is a key point in the current cross-party politics.

In evaluating the situation, Tseng Yung-chuan skillfully shifted the focus from political confrontation to the fundamental issue of "food safety oversight" that is closest to people's daily lives. In contrast to the no-confidence motion, which is a high-stakes and uncertain move that can lead to a constitutional crisis, she clearly preferred to have her party members and lawmakers focus on monitoring the government's efforts to implement food safety inspections and protect public health. This not only helps to avoid allegations of "over-politicization" from the opposition but also allows the KMT to demonstrate a more stable and responsive stance to the public's concerns about food safety. This approach will give the KMT a strategic advantage in future political battles.