In a dramatic showdown on Friday, Taiwanese lawmakers clashed in parliament as the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) worked to block bills proposed by the opposition that they argue could undermine Taiwan’s democratic framework.
Since Thursday night, DPP members had barricaded themselves in the chamber, piling chairs and physically occupying the podium to prevent the passage of three amendments. These bills, introduced by the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan Peoples Party (TPP), would make it harder for voters to remove elected officials they deem unfit.
The DPP accused the KMT and TPP of trying to push through the bills with their majority, describing it as a “parliamentary dictatorship.” The ruling party warned that passing these amendments would dismantle Taiwan’s self-correcting democratic system and cause irreversible harm to civil society.
The controversial amendments include a proposed change to the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, which would raise the threshold for recalling elected officials. While the KMT argues it’s necessary to prevent abuse of the recall system, DPP lawmakers fear it would strip voters of their right to hold corrupt officials accountable.
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