Opposition legislators in Taiwan launched a motion to oust President Chen Shui-bian at a special session of parliament on Tuesday, turning up the heat over a series of scandals involving Chen's family and former aides.
While the recall motion is unlikely to pass, it deepens a political crisis that has pushed Chen's public approval ratings to record lows and weighed heavily on Taiwan's stock and foreign exchange markets. Despite holding a slim majority, the opposition - led by the Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang - lacks the two-thirds required to push the motion through.
Opposition lawmakers hope the recall process will produce evidence of wrongdoing and stiffen anti-Chen sentiment among the public. They also hoped to turn some members of Chen's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) against him.
"We hope DPP legislators can wake up to the truth, push one of their own severely according to law in order to uphold justice and stand on the side of the people," Tina Pan, the Nationalists' parliamentary whip, told reporters.
Chen has seven days in which he can respond in writing to the motion, which - if passed - would authorise a referendum on whether he should step down. His office has said he has not decided whether or not to write such a defence.
Chen's son-in-law was detained last month on suspicion of insider trading, and the first lady has been accused of accepting millions of Taiwan dollars of department store gift vouchers.
They have both denied any wrongdoing. Analysts have said Chen is unlikely to step down and he has said the opposition is trying to oust him out of resentment over its election losses in 2000 and 2004.
DPP legislators say the extraordinary session of parliament, which is scheduled to last until June 30, should not be politicised and should first focus on a flood relief funding measure. The opposition has insisted the recall measure be considered first. Recent heavy rains have caused flooding and landslides around Taiwan, sweeping away homes and inundating mountain roads.
"They are clearly using political means to interfere with justice. They are using political means to wage a physical and verbal fight, to bring down the Republic of China," said DPP legislative whip Chen Ching-ccan summon witnesses. Taiwan media reports said the entire legislature was expected to review the measure on June 21, 22, 23 and 26, and then vote on it on June 27.
If the recall measure is rejected, the opposition camp is expected to push for a vote of no confidence against Chen's cabinet when parliament reconvenes in September. On Tuesday, the Taiwan dollar slipped to a two-month low, in part due to the political stand-off, and the stock market fell 1.78 percent, partly due to political worries. Standard & Poor's warned last week that the island's credit fundamentals were being weakened by "policy paralysis" brought on by the crisis.
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