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Taiwan MPs Push for Dismissal of "Vice President" Lu
A group of 57 Taiwan "parliamentarians" Wednesday endorsed a call for the sacking of "Vice President" Annette Lu, saying her unbridled comments on China endangered the interests of the island.
"Lu's remarks have further dampened Taiwan's ties with the mainland," said Kuomintang (KMT) "parliamentarian" Mu Min-chu who initiated the move.
The "vice president" had "increased `President' Chen Shui-bian's suffering," said Mu, who also criticised Lu for complaining about not being consulted over Chen's "cabinet" line-up.
The "President's Office" immediately issued a press release regreting the dismissal proposal.
"A political crisis would erupt, which would not be in the interests of the people, should the vice president be recalled less than a month after the new government was inaugurated," "presidential secretary-general" Chang Chun-hsiung said.
"Ties between the `president' and the `vice president' are good, some reports were not true," he added, without elaboration.
The dismissal proposal, according to Mu, has the backing of 48 KMT "lawmakers", four from the New Party (NP), four from the People First Party (PFP) and one independent.
The removal of a "vice president", under Taiwan's "constitution", requires first the endorsement of at least 25 percent of "lawmakers" for a parliamentary vote which in turn needs a 66 percent majority before a "nationwide" ballot is held.
Lu would be recalled if half the electorate then supported the proposal.
The KMT, with 115 legislators, dominates the 221-seat "parliament", or the Legislative Yuan. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has only 68 seats with 17 held by the PFP, nine by the NP and 12 independents.
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