Chaos erupted at the Taiwan Parliament on Friday following a fierce dispute over a controversial reform bill. Amidst the turmoil, Guo Guowen, a Member of Parliament, quickly grabbed the bill documents and made a dramatic run to prevent it from being passed, as shown in an online video.
The incident occurred just days before President-elect Lai Ching-te is set to take office
The incident occurred just days before President-elect Lai Ching-te is set to take office on Monday, having won January’s election despite his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lacking a majority in the legislature, according to Reuters.
Kuomintang (KMT), the main opposition party, holds more seats than the DPP but not enough to control the parliament independently. They have allied with the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) to advance their shared objectives.
The opposition wants to give parliament more power to check the government’s actions, including a controversial plan to punish officials who lie in parliament..
Before the votes were even cast, some lawmakers were shouting and shoving each other outside the legislative chamber. Later, chaos erupted on the parliament floor as lawmakers turned toward the Speaker’s seat, climbed onto tables, and wrestled colleagues to the ground. Further scuffles ensued in the afternoon.
The DPP opposes the bill “because they are used to having all the power”
One lawmaker was hospitalized after falling from a platform and injuring his head, reported Khaleej Times.
The DPP accused the KMT and TPP of trying to push through proposals without adequate consultation, labeling it “an unconstitutional abuse of power.” DPP lawmaker Wang Mei-hui, representing the southern city of Chiayi, stated, “Why are we opposed? We want to be able to have discussions, not for there to be only one voice in the country,” reported Reuters.
Jessica Chen of the KMT, who represents the Taiwan-administered Kinmen islands near China, argued that the reforms were aimed at improving the legislature’s oversight of the executive branch and stated that the DPP does not want the bill to pass “because they are used to having all the power.”
In 2020, KMT lawmakers had strewn pig guts onto the chamber’s floor during a disagreement about US pork imports.