TAIPEI, Taiwan — A conflict erupted in Taiwan’s legislature on Friday as members from a prominent political party stormed the building overnight to occupy the speaker’s chair, leading to physical confrontations with members from another major party who attempted to remove them.
Reports from Taiwanese media indicated that several lawmakers sustained injuries during the altercation, although the severity of these injuries remained unclear.
The dispute centers on three legislative bills that the Nationalist Party, also referred to as the Kuomintang (KMT), sought to advance. Critics of the proposals argue that one bill could undermine the authority of the Constitutional Court. The legislature successfully passed a bill that escalates the requirements for voter petitions aimed at recalling elected officials, while discussions on the remaining two bills were ongoing into the evening. One of these bills proposes a redistribution of tax revenues, granting a larger portion to local governments.
Members of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who contend that these bills pose a threat to Taiwan’s democratic framework, broke windows to access the building on Thursday night and took control of the speaker’s area. They erected walls made of chairs to inhibit access, as reported by Taiwan’s Central News Agency.
Photos and videos capturing the morning’s clashes displayed scenes of chaos, with KMT members making attempts to clear the obstacles or climb over the barriers of chairs. In response, DPP lawmakers pushed them back and even sprayed them with water from plastic bottles.
Eventually, the Nationalists, dressed in matching white windbreakers, regained control of the area, allowing speaker Han Kuo-yu to officially take his seat. The DPP, aiming to obstruct any voting on the controversial bills, has been at odds with the KMT, which, despite lacking an outright majority in the last legislative election, secured slightly more seats and has aligned themselves with a smaller party to control the legislature, contending with DPP President Lai Ching-te.
A leader from the DPP acknowledged in a social media video that the party’s methods were drastic, but felt it was necessary given the circumstances, amid failed negotiations regarding the bills.
On both Thursday night and Friday, thousands of DPP supporters gathered outside the legislature to protest the contentious measures. Protester Stevie Kuo expressed concerns that the KMT and its allies aimed to cripple the court, destabilize the central government’s finances, and complicate the process for recalling elected officials. “I believe these three issues would significantly damage Taiwan,” stated the postgraduate student, emphasizing that public sentiment does not favor these developments.
Physical confrontations within Taiwan’s legislature are not unprecedented. A notable incident occurred in 2020 when lawmakers engaged in a physical struggle, tossing pig organs at one another over the government’s decision to lift a ban on importing U.S. pork and beef.