Transferring supervisory power to legislature could create political monster, Chen Yung-hsing urges Lai Ching-te to convene national affairs conference to build consensus on constitutional amendment

Chen Yung-hsing, a nominee for the presidency of Taiwan's Control Yuan, has voiced strong concerns about proposals to transfer supervisory powers to the Legislative Yuan, warning it could devolve into a "political monster."

Chen explained that the fundamental obstacle to abolishing the Control Yuan lies in the exceptionally high bar for constitutional amendment. This requires approval from three-quarters of the Legislative Yuan and a public referendum with 9 million votes in favor. He argued that handing supervisory authority to a politically polarized legislature would be detrimental.

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The Control Yuan cannot be abolished.

Instead, Chen proposed that any move towards constitutional reform should begin with a national affairs conference. He suggested that the president should lead this initiative, bringing together representatives from all five branches of government, political parties, academics, and vulnerable groups to forge a national consensus.

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If supervisory power is transferred to the politically adversarial Legislative Yuan, it could become a political monster.

Currently, the Control Yuan faces a period without commissioners, a situation arising from the blue and white parties' insistence on its abolition. Chen noted that while the Control Yuan handles over 10,000 public complaints annually, a third of which relate to judicial injustice, it serves as a final recourse for citizens. He advocated for reforms such as increased transparency and professional investigative staff while a new constitution is debated.

Furthermore, Chen emphasized the importance of the National Human Rights Commission, advocating for its independent status, similar to the Academia Sinica, with its own budget and operational mechanisms. He also called for the Legislative Yuan to pass legislation defining the commission's powers and for the government to establish a dedicated civil service examination for human rights professionals, aligning with the "Paris Principles" for independence.

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If a constitutional amendment is truly necessary, the president should convene a national affairs conference to gather consensus from all parties, scholars, and vulnerable groups for the amendment to succeed.