The new legislature has elected the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Su Jia-chyuan as its president. The move on Monday follows last month’s elections which handed the DPP its first-ever majority in the 113-seat legislature.
The new legislative session, which began on Monday, saw the first transition of political party power from the Kuomintang (KMT) to the DPP in the legislative body in 68 years. Su is also the first non-KMT member to serve as legislature president.
Su is a former interior minister and a former DPP secretary-general. He represented the southern county of Pingtung for two terms in the legislature, from 1992 to 1997. His party selected him this year to fill one of its legislator-at-large seats.
After his election on Monday, Su thanked the DPP and the New Power Party for their support. He said he will quit his position within the DPP in order to remain neutral as legislature president.