Liu Yi-te (Chinese: 劉一德; born 15 April 1960) is a Taiwanese politician. While affiliated with the Democratic Progressive Party, he was a member of the National Assembly between 1992 and 2000. He joined the Taiwan Solidarity Union upon its establishment in 2001, and since April 2016, has served as party chairman.
Liu Yi-te | |
---|---|
劉一德 | |
Chairman of the Taiwan Solidarity Union | |
Assumed office 16 April 2016 | |
Preceded by | Lin Chih-chia (acting) Huang Kun-huei |
Member of the National Assembly | |
In office 1 February 1992 – 20 May 2000 | |
Constituency | Taipei |
Personal details | |
Born | Chiayi, Taiwan | 15 April 1960
Political party | Taiwan Solidarity Union (since 2001) |
Other political affiliations | Democratic Progressive Party (until 2001) |
Alma mater | National Taiwan University |
Profession | politician |
Early life and activism
editLiu is of Mainland Chinese descent, and became active in the tangwai movement as a student. In a 2001 interview, Liu credited a classmate at Chiayi Senior High School with sparking his interest in politics by reporting Liu to administration for harboring anti-government views, after Liu had tried to start a discussion about a local politician. As Taiwan was then a one-party state led by the Kuomintang, Liu was slapped upon refusing to retract his comments about the politician in a written statement. Liu later met Lee Wen-chung and Lai Chin-lin at National Taiwan University, where he led a club advocating for Taiwan independence.[1][2]
Political career
editLiu ran in the December 1991 National Assembly elections and took office in 1992 as a representative of Taipei.[3] He won reelection in 1996, and was named Democratic Progressive Party caucus leader.[4] From this position, Liu worked with senior Kuomintang members of the National Assembly and passed a resolution to extend the term of the National Assembly while also reducing its membership by mandating that the next assembly election take place under a system of proportional representation.[5][6] The passage of the resolution drew criticism from both the Kuomintang and Democratic Progressive Party headquarters.[7][8] The Judicial Yuan ruled against the term extension in 2000,[9] but Liu subsequently supported an initiative to postpone the election date of 6 May mandated by the Judicial Yuan.[10] Liu later chastised members of the Judicial Yuan and worked with Kuomintang assembly delegates to remove the justices' lifetime stipend,[11] though he refused to endorse abolition of the Judicial Yuan itself.[12][13] Another vote on the fate of the National Assembly was taken in April 2000, in which Liu and Chen Chin-te of the DPP, as well as their KMT counterparts, agreed to end the National Assembly on 20 May 2000, passing many of its powers to the Legislative Yuan.[14] After stepping down from the National Assembly, Liu was named director of the DPP's organizational development department.[15][16]
He formed an electoral coalition in January 2001 with Chen Chin-te, Chen Tsiao-long, Chiu Kuo-chang, Kang Tai-shan, and Lan Shih-tsung , but did not win election to the Legislative Yuan that December.[17][18] By June of that year, Liu had been approached by a pro-Taiwan alliance that later became the Taiwan Solidarity Union, which Liu joined instead.[19][20] He was named president of the Independence Evening Post in July 2001, shortly before the publication released its last issue in October.[21][22]
Liu represented the Taiwan Solidarity Union in the 2004 legislative elections, but did not win.[23][24] Afterwards, Liu became director of the TSU's organization department.[25][26] In August 2005, Liu pushed the Democratic Progressive Party to rescind a mayoral nomination given to Wang Tuoh in Keelung, stating that if the DPP did not do so, Liu himself would enter the Chiayi mayoral contest to challenge the DPP.[27] Liu did register as a Chiayi mayoral candidate,[28] but withdrew when Wang did the same in Keelung.[29] Liu again challenged the Democratic Progressive Party in 2007, contesting the legislative seat won by Yu Tian.[30]
By 2007, Liu had become a deputy secretary-general of the TSU.[30] From this position, Liu helped the party deliver petitions to the Control Yuan and the judicial branch.[31][32] He also announced electoral strategy in 2011 and 2014.[33][34] Liu defeated Chen Chien-ming in an April 2016 leadership election, and succeeded Lin Chih-chia, who was serving as acting chairman of the Taiwan Solidarity Union at the time.[35]
References
edit- ^ Lin, Mei-chun (31 March 2001). "Warriors of a new generation". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "DPP: weaknesses and tactical errors" (PDF). Taiwan Communiqué (53): 9. January 1992. ISSN 1027-3999.
- ^ Holley, David (21 December 1991). "Taiwan to Rejuvenate Assembly". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "KMT moves to stop extension". Taipei Times. 3 September 1999. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Lin, Chieh-yu (7 September 1999). "DPP pushes for national conference on Constitution". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Chen, Lauren (20 September 1999). "'Reform' has become final refuge of political ruffians". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Chen, Lauren (9 September 1999). "Su ousted from KMT". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Chen, Lauren (31 October 1999). "KMT confirms former Assembly Speaker must go". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "Justices may rule term extension unconstitutional". Taipei Times. 20 March 2000. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Low, Stephanie (9 April 2000). "National Assembly votes to postpone election date". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Jou, Ying-chen (17 April 2000). "Assembly takes first jab at Justices". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Jou, Ying-cheng (18 April 2000). "'Self-fattening' not possible, says judiciary head". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Low, Stephanie (19 April 2000). "Assembly leaders oppose sidelining justices". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Low, Stephanie (26 April 2000). "Deputies 'atone' for past mistakes". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Huang, Joyce (30 December 2000). "Hsieh plays down opposition talk". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Lin, Mei-chun (8 January 2001). "Two Cabinet members to resign". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Low, Stephanie (18 January 2001). "Ex-deputies set sights on legislature". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Huang, Joyce (20 January 2001). "Registration of possible DPP lawmakers ends". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Huang, Joyce (19 June 2001). "Taiwan alliance starting drive for membership". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Huang, Joyce (13 August 2001). "Parties assess shifting political scene". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Lin, Mei-chun (27 July 2001). "'Post' again rises out of the ashes". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Lin, Mei-chun (28 September 2001). "'Post' leadership hints at closure". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Lin, Paul (2 December 2004). "Mainlanders, cast off your shackles". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Huang, Jewel (17 December 2004). "Change of the guard for TSU as losers vie for jobs". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "TSU says year-end elections crucial to the party's survival". Taipei Times. 23 January 2005. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Huang, Jewel (26 May 2005). "TSU to focus on party goals at assembly". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Huang, Jewel (31 August 2005). "DPP won't field candidates in several year-end races". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Huang, Jewel (10 September 2005). "TSU urges election candidates to help save the party". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Huang, Jewel (6 October 2005). "Year-end polls take shape for pan-greens". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ a b "TSU challenges singer". Taipei Times. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Shih, Hsiu-chuan; Wang, Flora (18 March 2009). "Control Yuan to probe GIO over Kuo". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Shih, Hsiu-chuan; Chang, Rich (19 June 2010). "TSU takes petition to Control Yuan". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Lin, Shu-hui (29 May 2011). "TSU candidates will not run for seats in districts". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Wang, Wen-hsuan; Chung, Jake (18 July 2014). "TSU gears up for fall races". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ Tu, Aaron (17 April 2016). "TSU elects new party chairman in landslide win". Taipei Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.