Taiwan Legislature Passes Budget After Long Delay; Critics Denounce 'Political Revenge'

Taiwan's Legislative Yuan has passed the central government's budget for the year, ending a protracted 351-day delay. The Kuomintang (KMT) caucus framed the passage as a significant display of goodwill from the opposition. However, this move has drawn sharp criticism from civic groups who view it as a politically motivated act designed to cripple the executive branch.

Lai Chung-chiang, convenor of the Taiwan Economic Democracy Union think tank, accused the KMT and other parties of "abusing their power to seize control from the executive branch," leading to the "comprehensive paralysis" of government agencies, budgets, and policy implementation. He argued that the legislature's actions exceeded its supervisory role and were instead aimed at undermining other constitutional bodies, creating a "legislature-dominant monster" and setting a poor example for democratic governance.

Chang Hong-lin, executive director of the Citizen Congress Watch, echoed these sentiments, labeling the budget cuts as "political and retaliatory." He criticized the legislature for "leading the charge in undermining power separation" by weakening the executive, examination, and control Yuan, as well as the presidential office. Chang pointed out that resolutions like freezing the premier's salary were potentially illegal and unconstitutional.

Concerns were also raised about the implications for future budget reviews. The late passage of this year's budget is expected to distort the review process for the next fiscal year. Furthermore, with legislators preoccupied with upcoming elections, there is a risk that future budgets could be neglected. Civic groups emphasized that the legislative process is only half complete, as the budgets for state-owned enterprises, totaling over NT$5 trillion, remain unreviewed.