The Legislature held the second floor reading of amendments that would give the governing body additional supervisory powers over the executive branch from 9 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Despite the tens of thousands of protestors surrounding the Legislature in opposition, the amendments passed the second reading, moving them one step closer to becoming law.
The proposed amendments stipulate that presidents would be required to deliver a “state of the nation” address to the Legislature within two weeks of taking office and would be subject to answer legislators’ questions in a rapid-fire manner. It would also subject government officials and other relevant individuals to a fine of NT$10,000 (US$310) to NT$100,000 (US$3,100) for not providing information within five days of a request.
The Legislature erupted into chaos on May 17 when Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) called legislators to vote. The DPP said the complete contents of the legislation—proposed by a coalition between the KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP)—had not been made available to them prior to calling the vote. In response on Tuesday, DPP members filled the Legislature with signs calling out the censorship of legislation, some reading, “anti-black boxes, support democracy.”
Legislature Minority Secretary-general Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) commented that the DPP had successfully stalled the coalition’s attempt to expand their congressional power, expressing her gratitude towards the protestors. As the lengthy plenary session was approaching midnight, Han announced that the Legislature would reconvene for the deliberation of remaining articles this Friday.