President rejects Cabinet's resignation
ROC Central News Agency
2008-01-28 13:13:22
Taipei, Jan. 28 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian retained Chang Chun-hsiung as premier Monday, rejecting a resignation letter Chang tendered on behalf of the entire Cabinet last week ahead of the inauguration of the seventh Legislative Yuan.
According to a news statement issued by the Presidential Office, the president recognizes Chang's excellent performance in the position and thinks he should continue leading the Cabinet in the service of the country and its people.
While expressing approval of Chang's decision to follow the convention in which the Cabinet resigns en masse before the seating of a new legislature, Chen suggested that the country "establish a new constitutional precedent" to better serve the interests of the people.
Chen argued that the practice ceased to be obligatory after the 1997 constitutional reforms, which empowered the president to appoint the premier without the Legislative Yuan's consent and in effect disconnected the premier's tenure from the legislative term.
Noting that the inauguration date of the Legislative Yuan is now only three months and 19 days earlier than that of the president following a 2005 constitutional amendment to extend the legislative term from three to four years in line with the presidential term, Chen said that if the Cabinet is required to resign en masse twice in less than four months, it will definitely upset political stability and affect the implementation of the government's policies.
The newly elected seventh Legislative Yuan is set to be inaugurated Feb. 1. Chang's Cabinet tendered its resignation Jan. 24.
(By Y.F. Low)
ENDITEM/jnc
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