Abstract
The Legislative Yuan was established by the Constitution, and organized according to its own Organic Law. The Constitution pro- vides for two legislative sessions annually, February to May and Sep- tember to December, with adjournment permissible where necessary.
In theory members serve a three-year term. However, because the legislature was designed to be the representative body for the Mainland as well as for Taiwan, there have been implementation problems. Notably, the original class of legislators elected in the Mainland remained in office. Representatives were replaced when necessary, without new elections, by the candidate who obtained the second greatest number of ballots in the original election. Only a small number of seats were reserved for Taiwan itself. The elderly legislators still outnumber newly elected legislators. However, a redistricting effected before the 1989 elections raised the number of representatives for Taiwan and retirement of elderly legislators is encouraged under a statute passed in 1989.