Lai calls for legislative review of supervisory powers bill

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) urged the Legislative Yuan (立法院) on Wednesday (June 19) to reconsider the controversial "expansion of legislature's supervisory powers" bill.

He appealed during his first monthly press conference at the Presidential Office (總統府), emphasizing that the legislature must seize this opportunity to meet the people's expectations.

According to the president, the bill, supported by the Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP), sparked discontent in Taiwanese society. A reconsideration vote is scheduled for Friday (June 21) in the Legislative Yuan.

On June 11, the Executive Yuan requested a legislative review of the bill per Article 3 of the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) briefed the legislature on the reconsideration request and will conduct a vote on it on June 21.

Civic groups have held a three-day "Bluebird Returns to the Legislative Yuan" rally outside the legislature, opposing the "abuse of legislative power" and the "democratic regression bill" proposed by the Kuomintang.

President Lai clarified that the Executive Yuan's reconsideration request is not a confrontation with the Legislative Yuan but an opportunity for the legislature to re-examine the bill. He urged the legislature to seize this rare opportunity, as the vote is scheduled in two days.

"We hope to discuss the issues at hand," President Lai said, responding to the serious opposition between the ruling and opposition parties. "After extensive discussions with Premier Cho, we have proposed the formation of three committees to address the societal problems."

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