Around 80,000 protesters gathered outside Taiwan’s parliament last Friday, expressing their opposition to controversial parliamentary reforms proposed by the Kuomintang (KMT) party and the Taiwan’s People’s Party (TPP). As the third and largest demonstration held against these reforms, the rally followed Tuesday’s protests and coincided with the second reading of the two contentious bills.
The under-fire bills are the parliamentary reform bill and the infrastructure project bill.The parliamentary reform bill, if passed, would expand the investigative powers of Taiwan’s parliament, allowing lawmakers to demand information from various officials, military personnel, and private individuals. It would also introduce the criminalization of contempt of parliament. Protesters are uneasy about these proposed changes, voicing that the extent of these powers and the lack of checks and balances might lead to power abuses and national security threats.
The infrastructure project bill, on the other hand, sets out plans for a $61 billion project to create a high-speed rail and improve highways on Taiwan’s less-populated east coast. This initiative has been criticized as being financially unstable, environmentally risky, and politically motivated. Critics have added that the project could exacerbate social inequalities and divert resources from critical public services.
The KMT, known to support closer ties with China, maintains that these are necessary reforms to bolster government accountability. Despite the claims of many protesters that the proposed bills are being forced through without enough consultation or debate, the KMT asserts that these reforms align with the majority opinion of the nation.
The diverse crowd of protesters, largely composed of students and young professionals, have accused the KMT of trying to rush the bill through the legislative process. Student Lee Yu-cheng from the National Pingtung University expressed his dismay, stating that he wasn’t expecting such procedural upheaval in Taiwan’s highest legislative body, which he believes should set an example in adhering to democratic procedures.
Alongside the large-scale demonstrations, a counter-protest also took place in support of the proposed bills, though it attracted a significantly smaller crowd.
Original news piece can be found on JURIST – News .