Demonstrations as the Taiwanese parliament advances divisive changes

Despite the ruling party’s indignation, which claims there has been no consultation, lawmakers in Taiwan pushed for greater parliament supervision on Tuesday, and on Tuesday they jostled, unfurled flags, and yelled at one another.

Lai Ching-te, who lost the majority of his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and is seen as a “separatist” by China, is confronted with a divided parliament as well as an irate China upon taking office as president on Monday.

Several hundred demonstrators demonstrated against the reforms in front of the parliament, accusing the opposition of collaborating with China in an attempt to destroy democracy.

Together, the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and Kuomintang (KMT), the two biggest opposition parties with enough seats to constitute a majority, have teamed together to support reforms that increase the parliament’s oversight of the government.

A contentious bill that would penalize public servants for “withholding information” or making false statements in order to be found in contempt of parliament is among them. The DPP claims that the bill is vague.

DPP MPs wearing headbands saying “Democracy has died” sought longer discussions on the ideas and let out their ire at the KMT, even though there was no replay of the incidents from Friday that showed politicians striking and wrestling each other in the chamber.

“Neither the KMT nor the TPP are on the speaker’s platform today. Referring to China’s president, DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming informed the assembly, “It’s Xi Jinping.”

The opposition camp responded to his comments with yells of “Shut up!” Some of them were holding placards that said, “Reforming parliament, let sunshine in.”
In an attempt to impede the reforms, the KMT accused the DPP of attempting to “spread rumors and paint them red,” the colors of China’s ruling Communist Party.

KMT spokesperson Yang Chih-yu said, “The DPP is inflaming populism, and their anti-reform actions don’t have a leg to stand on.”

The winner of this year’s RuPaul’s Drag Race, Taiwanese drag queen Nymphia Wind, made a fleeting appearance to show support during the protest march.
“I respect parliament, but I hope parliament can do things that we respect and respect our democratic procedures,” she stated. “As a Taiwanese citizen, I think we must stand up.”

Although the group supports an ongoing effort to give parliament more government oversight, Chang Hung-lin, the head of Citizen Congress Watch, a non-governmental organization advocating for citizen supervision of parliament, told Reuters that the current reform proposals “overly expand” the power of the lawmakers. According to him, the present measures, some of which were approved on Tuesday for a second reading, allow parliamentarians the authority to call for witnesses from the business sector and defense officials to testify in parliament without the necessary checks and balances.

“This is harmful to our administrative power and the judiciary,” he stated.