‘EMPRESS’:Critics have said the coordination meetings upset the checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches, giving Tsai power over both

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 15, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter

In response to questions about the constitutionality of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) high-level policy meetings, which are attended by government officials, lawmakers and party officials, Premier Lin Chuan (林全) yesterday said that former presidents had similar approaches.

Tsai on Oct. 1 announced the High-Level Policy Coordination Meeting, at which representatives of the Presidential Office, the Executive Yuan, local governments, the Democratic Progressive Party caucus and high-ranking party officials have every Monday since its launch discussed and facilitated the creation and implementation of policies.

Critics have called the meetings unconstitutional, with some saying they upset the checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches, with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) calling Tsai the “empress” behind the Cabinet.

When asked by reporters about the issue, Lin said that there should not be such a big fuss, as former presidents Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had conducted similar meetings.     [FULL  STORY]