The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday occupied the speaker’s podium at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, preventing further proceedings on referendums proposed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
The Legislature on Tuesday passed a motion sending two KMT referendum proposals on “opposing the abolition of the death penalty” and “opposing martial law” to a second reading without the need for committee review after a contentious session marked by protests and legislative maneuvering.
To prevent the issues from proceeding further yesterday, DPP lawmakers blocked the entry to the main chamber on Thursday night and took over the podium yesterday.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
KMT lawmakers did not counter DPP lawmakers at the podium.
The DPP called for negotiations on the KMT’s proposals.
The DPP’s disruption of legislative activity prevented Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) from continuing his report on the government’s policies and their implementation.
KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) said that the ruling party was paralyzing the legislature to achieve unknown ends, adding that he hoped the legislature could resume discussions and meetings like a normal democracy.
KMT caucus secretary-general Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said that yesterday’s events were “historic” in that the DPP lawmakers blocked their own Cabinet officials from a question-and-answer session.
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said that the DPP must consider whether it wants the state to function normally or whether it wants to continue to paralyze the legislature and allow the DPP-controlled executive branch to act without legislative supervision.
The TPP would abide by the Legislative Yuan’s procedural regulations and would send a representative to attend cross-caucus negotiations should Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) call for one, Huang said.
Additional reporting by Liu Wan-lin and CNA
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