Tuesday saw a show of public discontent in Taiwan unfold dramatically as approximately
30,000 demonstrators surrounded the Legislative Yuan, Taiwan’s parliament. The mass protest came as a response to the legislative majority’s attempts to enact new laws that have drawn allegations of procedural justice violations and contraventions of Taiwan’s constitution.
The issues center around two bills: the
parliamentary reform bill and a
transport network bill. The proposed cost of these is nearly $62 billion, equal to Taiwan’s
annual expenditure. The controversy surrounding these bills regards a potential violation of committee autonomy.
The legislative majority, comprised of the Kuomintang and the Taiwan People’s Party,
refused to discuss each provision in the legislative committee with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. The legislative majority continued its refusal to negotiate at the post-freeze period for negotiations to take place, proceeding directly to the second reading of these bills.
As a consequence, only on Friday night—past the scheduled meeting time—did the legislative majority disclose the final version to be voted upon to lawmakers from the ruling party. This final version was not available on the parliamentary website during the second reading. Taipei City Council member Miao Poya
criticised such conduct as a “flagrant flouting” of procedural rules.
The Transport Network Bill—a proposal for a high-speed railway connecting the whole island—has also stirred controversy. Despite its potential to address long-standing inequalities in transport development across Taiwan’s cities and counties, the ruling party
contends that the bill directly encroaches upon the Executive Yuan’s expertise and constitutional powers.
This widespread civil action has drawn comparisons to the 2014
Sunflower Movement, wherein protesters occupied the parliament for 24 days in dissent against the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement and a perceived violation of procedural justice.
The legislature is set to continue reviewing the parliamentary reform bill and then the transport network bill on Thursday, May 24. As for the protestors, they will no doubt continue observing the situation closely, prepared for further action if necessary.