As legislators, we bear the significant responsibility of representing the parliament. To earn the public’s trust and respect, it is crucial to maintain high standards of legislative quality and procedural justice.
The Legislative Yuan has adhered to a committee-centric approach, a consensus among all political parties. Through the discussion and deliberation of diverse perspectives, including those of the public, we strive to reach a consensus to achieve legislative goals.
However, there have been severe flaws in the legal review process this time. Procedurally, the review process was incomplete.
Some bills were sent out of the committee without substantive discussion, lacking sufficient incorporation of public opinion.
Amendments for the second reading were presented on the day of voting as “further revised motions,” resulting in inadequate deliberation time, and some draft provisions were unable to enter the discussion and deliberation stages.
In terms of content, the bill also has many worrying flaws.
Many discretionary powers can be exercised solely based on the “resolution of the assembly,” potentially infringing on the powers of the judiciary and the executive branches. Numerous legal concepts are ambiguously defined, violating the principle of legal clarity. The setup of relief channels is insufficient, which could impose a heavy cost burden on the general public.
Legislators must seriously consider the so-called “parliamentary reform.”
Reform should focus on substance, not just terminology. The bill essentially represents a parliamentary expansion, which could disrupt the balance of power. If such expansion becomes the norm, legislative power would override the executive and judiciary, which is different from the intended outcome of reform.
True parliamentary reform should align with the separation of powers, and checks and balances principles, adhere to procedural justice, and enhance self-regulation and transparency rather than unilaterally expanding power.
I hereby call on the leaders of all parties to re-examine the legislation with a rational and pragmatic attitude, never forgetting the core values of democratic deliberation.
Only resolutions that undergo thorough discussion and deliberation, preserving our democratic values, are the foundation of democratic politics.
Chen Kuan-ting is a member of the Foreign and National Defense Committee at the Legislative Yuan representing Chiayi County Constituency 2. He was formerly the special assistant to the DPP chairperson and former president Tsai Ing-wen, the CEO of Taiwan NextGen Foundation, a researcher in the National Security Council, and an adjunct lecturer at Tamkang University’s Department of Diplomacy and International Relations.
The return of US president-elect Donald Trump to the White House has injected a new wave of anxiety across the Taiwan Strait. For Taiwan, an island whose very survival depends on the delicate and strategic support from the US, Trump’s election victory raises a cascade of questions and fears about what lies ahead. His approach to international relations — grounded in transactional and unpredictable policies — poses unique risks to Taiwan’s stability, economic prosperity and geopolitical standing. Trump’s first term left a complicated legacy in the region. On the one hand, his administration ramped up arms sales to Taiwan and sanctioned
The Taiwanese have proven to be resilient in the face of disasters and they have resisted continuing attempts to subordinate Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Nonetheless, the Taiwanese can and should do more to become even more resilient and to be better prepared for resistance should the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) try to annex Taiwan. President William Lai (賴清德) argues that the Taiwanese should determine their own fate. This position continues the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) tradition of opposing the CCP’s annexation of Taiwan. Lai challenges the CCP’s narrative by stating that Taiwan is not subordinate to the
US president-elect Donald Trump is to return to the White House in January, but his second term would surely be different from the first. His Cabinet would not include former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and former US national security adviser John Bolton, both outspoken supporters of Taiwan. Trump is expected to implement a transactionalist approach to Taiwan, including measures such as demanding that Taiwan pay a high “protection fee” or requiring that Taiwan’s military spending amount to at least 10 percent of its GDP. However, if the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) invades Taiwan, it is doubtful that Trump would dispatch
World leaders are preparing themselves for a second Donald Trump presidency. Some leaders know more or less where he stands: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy knows that a difficult negotiation process is about to be forced on his country, and the leaders of NATO countries would be well aware of being complacent about US military support with Trump in power. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would likely be feeling relief as the constraints placed on him by the US President Joe Biden administration would finally be released. However, for President William Lai (賴清德) the calculation is not simple. Trump has surrounded himself
RSS