Taiwan’s legislature descended into chaos on Friday as lawmakers clashed over a series of reform bills aimed at expanding the legislature’s power, according to Focus Taiwan.
The tension reached a boiling point after a failed round of negotiations between the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The KMT and TPP sought to bypass committee review and fast-track their versions of the bills, sparking accusations and procedural wrangling.
The session began with a heated confrontation between party whips, quickly escalating to physical altercations as lawmakers jostled for control of the podium. The chaos continued throughout the day, with several legislators requiring medical attention for injuries.
台灣立法委員為什麼會打架，原因是立法院想要擴張權力，侵害了執政的民進黨利益。
現在台灣政府是民進黨掌控、法院是獨立的，但是立法院是被國民黨和民眾黨掌控。… pic.twitter.com/cQjrWK3GEc
— Cheng-Wei Lai (@ChengWeiLai2) May 18, 2024
Despite attempts by Speaker Han Kuo-yu to restore order, the DPP employed stalling tactics, and the KMT fiercely defended their position. Negotiations repeatedly faltered, further prolonging the gridlock.
A dramatic moment occurred when a DPP lawmaker snatched documents from the secretary-general in a last-ditch effort to disrupt proceedings.
As of late Friday night, the session remained deadlocked, highlighting the deep political divisions that hinder progress on contentious reforms, Focus Taiwan reported.
According to the news outlet, a total of five legislators were sent to the hospital to treat injuries as of 8 pm They were DPP lawmakers Chung Chia-pin, Chiu Chih-wei, Chuang Jui-hsiung, and Puma Shen, as well as Wu Tsung-hsien of the KMT.
