Taipei, Taiwan In Taiwan, protests over a divisive bill that would dramatically expand parliament’s investigative powers are expected to resume on Friday, with thousands already taking to the streets.
Protesters gathered outside Parliament on Tuesday to coincide with the bill’s first reading, and lawmakers are due to meet again on Friday for the second reading.
Many democracies have similar provisions for legislative investigations, like the Watergate scandal in the United States and the wiretapping scandal in the United Kingdom, but protesters argue that Taiwan’s bill’s drafters forced the bill through a voting process that lacks the checks and balances needed to prevent abuse.
Civil society and many legal scholars also oppose the bill, but the Kuomintang, which supports it, says the reforms are necessary to “strengthen and refine” Taiwan’s democracy. The bill also includes an ambitious but controversial infrastructure plan to link Taiwan’s east and west coasts.
This week’s protests follow brawls at the legislature last Friday over the same bill, something of a political tradition in Taiwan.
In January’s elections, the opposition Kuomintang, along with the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), won a majority in parliament, and Lai Ching-te of the rival Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected president.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Why is this bill so controversial?
Critics of the bill say it is overly broad and potentially unconstitutional. In theory, the bill would give lawmakers the power to question, investigate and demand documents from senior government officials, military officers and the president.
The request includes a vaguely worded “legislative contempt” provision that critics say could be used as a punishment for questioning or “talking back” and could criminalize officials who don’t cooperate. Critics also say the bill duplicates the work of the Board of Inspectors, a special government agency with the power to investigate legislative branches and audit the government.
Austin Wang, a U.S. political scientist specializing in Taiwanese politics, said critics fear the bill could threaten Taiwan’s national security because it could force government officials to disclose sensitive information.
“The bill allows lawmakers to ask the military to hand over classified information, which is problematic because some lawmakers have been accused of leaking information to China. There are no longer any checks and balances in this investigation,” he said.
What about controversial infrastructure projects?
Although it has received little attention, the bill also includes a controversial $61 billion infrastructure plan to build a high-speed rail line and improve highways on Taiwan’s sparsely populated east coast, an area known for its rugged natural beauty but prone to earthquakes, typhoons and landslides, so the project has yet to be implemented.
Wang told Al Jazeera that the plan was unfeasible as its size would rival Taiwan’s annual budget and would deprive Taiwan’s military of much-needed funding if it wanted to deter Chinese military attacks.
He also said the plan could force Taiwan to accept financial assistance from China, which claims the island and poses constant threats to Taiwan’s existence, yet is also its largest trading partner.
Why are protesters saying the bill is undemocratic?
The issue has been under discussion for a long time in Taiwan’s Legislative Council, but DPP lawmakers and critics say the KMT and the TPP are trying to push through their bill without any consultation or input, and that they did not have a chance to see the full text of the bill before it was put to a vote.
The timing of the bill is noteworthy because it coincides with the inauguration of Lai, who was sworn in on Monday to begin an unprecedented third term for the DPP.
The bill signals a potentially difficult political road ahead.
William Stanton, former director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto US embassy, told Al Jazeera that the KMT and the TPP appear to be battling for power after their defeat in the presidential election. Traditionally, Taiwan’s legislative agenda has been determined by the executive branch of government, but both parties appear poised to shake up the system.
“it is [the KMT and TPP] “They see their majority in the Legislative Yuan as a back door to basically sabotage Lai’s election, and unfortunately that appears to be the case,” Stanton said.
Wu Ming-Xuan, co-founder of disinformation monitoring group DoubleThink Lab, said protesters were not happy about the behaviour either.
“People are generally concerned that the KMT and the TPP can pass any law they want and eliminate any deliberation. They don’t need the committee to agree on anything,” Wu said. “We don’t want a ‘winner-take-all’ situation. We don’t want a parliamentary majority to be able to take away the minority’s voice, because otherwise there would be no need for a legislature at all.”
What does this turmoil say about Taiwan’s future?
Taiwan has a strong tradition of protest and it is not uncommon to see people protesting in the streets, but observers say the recent demonstrations are noteworthy.
The atmosphere is already reminiscent of the Sunflower Movement in 2014, when student protesters took over parliament to block a trade bill that would have brought Taiwan and China closer. Like in 2014, the recent protests have drawn students and young people.
The young people’s achievements are noteworthy for another reason.
During the December and January elections, the DPP struggled to attract its usual young voters, as much of its support was focused on the TPP, which promised new thinking under Taipei’s unconventional mayor, Ko Wen-je. That could change if the protests at the legislature continue to grow.
