|
2012 ELECTIONS: Tsai
says a coalition is possible
REAL CHANGE: The DPP presidential candidate said
that her vision of a grand coalition included dialogue and cooperation between
all parties in the legislature
By Chen Hui-ping and Shih Hsiao-kuang / Staff Reporters
Democratic Progressive Party
presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen speaks at the start of campaign activity in
Chiayi County yesterday, asking the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) not to
negate her proposal for a coalition government.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Promoting a grand coalition government
would not be easy, but Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate
Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) told supporters at a campaign stop yesterday that she could
make it happen if the public gave her their support and strength.
Having first mentioned the idea of a coalition government on Friday during the
final televised policy debate hosted by the Central Election Commission, Tsai
fielded questions on whether her government would adopt a strategy similar to
the administration of former president Chen Sui-bian (陳水扁) in which “the premier
does not necessarily have to be from the DPP” — a reference to former premier
Tang Fei (唐飛).
After becoming president in 2000, Chen moved to pacify the pro-Chinese
Nationalist Party (KMT) military by naming Tang, former president Lee Teng-hui’s
(李登輝) minister of national defense and a member of the KMT, as his
administration’s first premier.
Tang served in the post for only four months, resigning over a controversy
regarding the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant.
However, Tsai said that a DPP coalition government would be different from
Chen’s inclusion of Tang. According to Tsai, there would be a dialogue between
the government and opposition parties, which could lead to cooperation in
administrative and legislative matters.
A DPP government would not have a “winner takes all” mindset and would not use
its possible majority in the legislature to suppress the minority, Tsai said,
adding that she would respect the legislature and the opposition, and listen to
the voice of the people.
However, the KMT and President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) campaign team were quick to
criticize Tsai’s remarks.
The Ma campaign team said Tsai’s coalition government would be a failure, just
like Tang’s appointment, while KMT spokesperson Lai Su-ju (賴素如) added that
during the eight years of the former DPP administration and the three years
since Tsai became DPP chairperson, the issue of a grand coalition had never been
mentioned.
“Bringing up the issue only six days before election day is political
manipulation, pure and simple,” Lai said.
However, People First Party (PFP) spokesperson Wu Kun-yu (吳崑玉) said forming a
coalition government was premised on none of the three major parties — KTM, DPP
and PFP — having a majority in the legislature, adding that if PFP presidential
candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) were elected, he would form a coalition government.
However, Wu said that if Tsai were elected, the DPP and PFP would probably still
not have a majority of legislative seats unless they managed to persuade some
pan-blue legislators to align with them, so a coalition government could not be
formed.
In response to the KMT’s criticism of her proposal, Tsai called on Ma and the
KMT to not dismiss the idea of a grand coalition government that could unite the
nation.
Additional reporting by Peng Hsien-chun
Translated by Jake Chung, Staff Writer
|
