TAIPEI – Days before newly-elected president Lai Ching-te is expected to be inaugurated, members of the Legislative Yuan (中華民國立法院) clashed in a chaotic brawl over a controversial chamber reform bill. On May 17th, parliament lawmakers were seen tackling and hitting each other amid a bitter dispute. Even before session began, some were seen screaming and shoving each other outside of the yuan chamber. In chaotic scenes, members surged around the speaker’s seat, leaping over tables and pulling colleagues to the floor.

Fights like these within the legislative yuan are not uncommon — In 2020, KMT lawmakers threw pig guts onto the chamber floor in a dispute over easing U.S. pork imports. So what caused this week’s brawl? Lawmakers from all three parties were involved, and none wanted to take any blame for the incident.

Although DPP nominee Lai Ching-te won the presidential election in January, his party lost its majority in parliament. The source of the chaos is a bill that would grant parliament, and the opposing parties, greater scrutiny powers over the government. This controversial bill will include a provision which criminalizes public officials who are deemed to make false statements in parliament.

“We need to tell the people we oppose the legislation, and we have to discuss them,” DPP Lawmaker Wang Mei-Hui told Reuters, “We can’t let the country have just one voice and let them [KMT] do whatever they want” (REUTERS).

The DPP is calling on the constitutionality of the proposal, saying the KMT and TPP are improperly trying to force the bill through parliament without the customary consultation process in an “abuse of power” (CNN).

Wearing a military-style helmet, KMT Lawmaker Jessica Chen told CNN, “If the DPP continues to try and block the voting process, I believe these scuffles will happen again and again… We call on President Lai to tell the DPP caucus not to use violence at every turn.”

Two legislators were taken away in a stretcher after the scuffle, transported away by ambulance due to “physical discomfort” (Taiwan News).

A viral clip had also been released by the CNA of DPP legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文), who attempted to run away with the bill after snatching it from the desk of the secretary-general. He can be seen in the video running through the crowd of legislators and out of the chamber doors.

Works Cited

Irwin, L. (2024, May 18). Member of Taiwan’s Parliament steals Bill to prevent its passage. The Hill. https://thehill.com/policy/international/4671868-taiwan-parliament-member-steals-bill-prevent-passage/

Olowoselu, A. (2024, May 17). See chaotic brawl in Taiwan parliament over chamber reforms. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/17/world/video/taiwan-parliament-fight-ldn-digvid

Watch: Amid clashes in Parliament, Taiwanese lawmaker snatches bill, runs away to stop its passage. WION. (2024, May 18). https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-amid-clashes-in-parliament-taiwanese-lawmaker-snatches-bill-runs-outside-to-stop-its-passage-722810