In a legislative vote on Tuesday, all seven nominations for Constitutional Court grand justices were rejected. The outcome has prompted calls for better communication between the ruling and opposition parties ahead of new nominations.
Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Chen Yu-jen (陳玉珍) on Wednesday urged President Lai to consult lawmakers across party lines before submitting new candidates, emphasizing the need to reflect the democratic will of all citizens in future nominations. KMT lawmaker Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) also criticized the lack of prior dialogue, calling for nominees with strong qualifications and broad public support.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Secretary-General Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) defended the rejection in line with the separation of powers. She says that while the president holds the power to nominate, the Legislature exercises its right to approve or reject nominees. She adds that the DPP's decision to reject judicial nominee Liu Ching-yi (劉靜怡) was not a reflection of distrust in President Lai's choices.
The Presidential Office stated that President Lai respects the Legislature's decision and will promptly begin nominating replacements. In August, Lai put forward all seven nominees to fill vacancies in the 15-member Constitutional Court. During Tuesday’s vote, none of the nominees received the required majority. The KMT caucus unanimously opposed all nominees, while the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) caucus supported only Liu. The DPP also voted against Liu, leaving all nominees short of the approval threshold.