TAIPEI, Taiwan

Taiwan’s leader William Lai Ching-te on Wednesday skipped an appearance at the island’s legislature, which is holding proceedings in an unprecedented impeachment motion against the 66-year-old politician.

The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) initiated the move after Lai and Premier Chuo Jung-tai refused to sign a revised fiscal allocation law passed by the Legislative Yuan.

The legislature launched a committee intended to allow Lai to explain his position.

However, Lai’s office sent a letter to the lawmakers saying the legislature “does not have direct authority to question” him under the Constitution, and that Lai will not appear, according to news outlet Focus Taiwan.

During the hearings, opposition lawmakers sharply accused Lai of evading accountability and “hollowing out” democratic norms, while ruling party members from Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) called the impeachment “politically motivated and illegitimate.”

Taiwan’s impeachment procedure requires support from at least half of all lawmakers to propose and a two-thirds vote to pass; the motion to initiate the process cleared the proposal threshold late last year.

If it reaches a full vote, the roll call is scheduled for May 19, with further review sessions set in advance.

Lai was elected to the top office in 2024.