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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Elections & Politics

Taiwan Legislature Debates 2025 Budget Amidst Fierce Partisan Disputes

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Taiwan's legislature is debating the 2025 central government budget, with significant disagreements between the ruling and opposition parties.
  • The opposition (KMT and TPP) has proposed substantial cuts and freezes to various budget items, including personnel expenses and special funds.
  • The ruling DPP criticizes the timing and extent of these proposed cuts, arguing they paralyze national functions, while the opposition blames the executive branch for delays and disrespecting the constitutional system.

A heated debate has erupted in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan over the 2025 central government budget, with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) clashing with the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP).

More than two-thirds of this year has already passed. Is it reasonable for us to be desperately freezing or cutting everything at this time?

— Tsai Chi-changDPP caucus whip criticizing the opposition's late-stage budget cuts.

DPP caucus whip Tsai Chi-chang criticized the opposition's aggressive budget-cutting and freezing measures, which are occurring late in the fiscal year. "More than two-thirds of this year has already passed. Is it reasonable for us to be desperately freezing or cutting everything at this time?" Tsai asked, arguing that such actions paralyze the nation's functions. He also questioned the opposition's rationale for cutting even basic operational expenses, stating it was difficult to understand the purpose of paralyzing the government.

Countering Tsai's remarks, TPP legislator Chiu Hui-ju accused the ruling party of "drawing the cart before the horse" and blaming the executive branch for the budget's delay. She asserted that the budget's tardiness stems from the executive branch's alleged disrespect for the constitutional system. Chiu argued that the executive must take responsibility for poor administration rather than occupying positions and collecting salaries. She urged the ruling party to govern based on facts, not rumors or emotional appeals.

The ruling party should not draw the cart before the horse. The reason the budget has been delayed until now is because the executive branch does not respect the constitutional system.

— Chiu Hui-juTPP legislator responding to criticism about the budget delay.

The legislative session is currently in its second round of budget negotiations. While the executive branch's spending has undergone two rounds of discussion, key opposition proposals to reduce personnel remuneration and the president's special fund from August to December remain contentious. The DPP fears that the upcoming vote on reserved proposals will lead to significant budget cuts, impacting national operations.

The executive must take responsibility for poor administration and not occupy positions and collect salaries.

— Chiu Hui-juTPP legislator calling for accountability from the executive branch.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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