Taiwan Lawmaker Clashes, Legal Changes Challenge President Lai
(Bloomberg) -- A new wave of political wrangling between Taiwan’s ruling and opposition parties that has involved street protests and lawmakers tussling adds to questions about President Lai Ching-te’s ability to govern one of the world’s most dangerous geopolitical hotspots.
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On Friday morning, members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party piled desks, chairs and other furniture to block the entrance of the legislature’s assembly hall in Taipei, while Kuomintang legislators pushed and shoved to get past them. Two lawmakers threw water bottles at each other.
Opposition parties still managed to push through three key amendments by midnight Friday, including a law that could effectively make it more difficult for the Constitutional Court, which doesn’t currently have a full bench of judges, to strike down legislation.
About 2,000 protesters gathered on the streets to voice their anger at what they see as efforts to undercut Lai’s government. The demonstration was peaceful and recalled unrest in May, when larger protests were held, over a KMT-led effort to expand the legislature’s powers that eventually failed.
The tensions are the latest challenge to Lai in leading Taiwan, which China has pledged to bring under its control by force if necessary. The People’s Liberation Army has held major drills around the main island twice since Lai took power. Last week Beijing sent a large number of naval vessels near the archipelago after Lai made stops in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam on a trip to visit Pacific allies.
The political wrangling comes as President Joe Biden, who repeatedly vowed to defend the democracy of 23 million people from any Chinese invasion, prepares to leave the White House.
President-elect Donald Trump’s return next month casts doubts over those reassurances, adding fresh turbulence to one of the biggest sources of tension between the two nuclear-armed superpowers. Trump has appointed several China hawks to key positions, a move that leaders in Taiwan have interpreted as meaning they will continue to have US backing.
The KMT, which wants closer ties with China, says the legal changes are badly needed reforms. But the Constitutional Court amendment especially angered protesters, who see the institution as a defender of their decades-old democracy. The court shot down the KMT’s plan to expand legislative power in October.
Xeni Li, a 32-year-old online retailer, said she and other demonstrators know that the DPP can’t stop the amendments but feel it is important to preserve checks on that system.
“We still have the Constitutional Court to protect our rights,” she said.
The amendment that passed on Friday will now require 10 justices to hand down a ruling, and nine must be in agreement. At present, the court only has eight justices after a slew of retirements, and Lai’s nominees must be approved by lawmakers.
A document filed in support of the amendment said the changes ensure the apex court “can cover a plurality of opinions and viewpoints” in big cases.
This is “aimed at paralyzing the Constitutional Court” and amounts to retaliation for its ruling in October, Chang Chun-hao, a professor of political science at Tunghai University in the central city of Taichung, said.
“This is unprecedented in Taiwan’s history,” Chang said.
The opposition also passed legislation making it harder to recall elected officials. Another amendment reduces the share of tax revenue allocated to the central government, and instead directs it to cities and counties, which are mostly controlled by the KMT.
Even though the opposition has managed to pass the changes, they won’t necessarily become law immediately. Lai can send them back to the legislature once, though the opposition would likely approve them again. He could also try to submit them to the Constitutional Court, the subject of arguably the most significant amendment.
Following the passage of the amendments, President Lai said on his Facebook account that the DPP legislature caucus would adopt “all possible remedies,” and the cabinet would protect the constitutional system in accordance with the rights granted by the constitution.
--With assistance from Cindy Wang.
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