On 28 May, Taiwanese legislators passed a package of controversial reforms expanding the parliament’s power to scrutinize the incoming government. The reforms allow lawmakers to request information from various entities, criminalize ‘contempt of parliament’ by officials, and require the president to provide regular reports and answer lawmakers’ questions (a first for Taiwan) or face fines. The opposition Kuomintang (中國國民黨) (KMT) and Taiwan’s People’s Party (台灣民眾黨) (TPP) used their combined majority to push forward the bills just days before President Lai Chin-te’s inauguration, arguing that the bills would ensure checks and balances and allow the legislature to target corruption. Civil society, academics and legal scholars argue that the vague and overreaching amendments could be misused for partisan vendettas and compromise national security. Since 17 May, thousands of people have gathered outside the parliament to protest the reforms peacefully. Critics say the amendments were rushed through the legislature without proper deliberation. The bills do not take immediate effect and still require approval from the president and the Executive Yuan. The Democratic Progressive Party (民主進步黨) (DPP) will seek a Constitutional Court ruling on the legality of the passed reforms and will send the bills back to the Legislative Yuan for reconsideration.

Sources: Focus Taiwan, Al Jazeera, ABC News, The Financial Times, Reuters

Lai Chin-te of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won Taiwan’s presidential election on 13 January, securing 40.05 per cent of the vote in the three-way presidential race. Hsiao Bi-khim was elected as vice president. Voter turnout stood at 71.86 per cent, slightly lower than the 74.90 per cent recorded in the 2020 presidential election.

The DPP also experienced a setback in the Legislative Yuan (unicameral legislature), losing its majority in the legislative election held on the same day. The DPP secured 51 seats out of 113, while Kuomintang (KMT) claimed 52 seats; the upstart Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) secured 8 seats; and the last 2 seats were won by independents. Voter turnout was 71.78 per cent, down from 74.86 per cent in the 2020 legislative election. Women constitute 41.59 per cent of the seats, with 47 female lawmakers elected out of 113, comparable to 48 in the previous election. Election observers noted that the electoral process was conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner.

Sources: Central Election Commission, Taipei Times, Liberal International, IFES, International IDEA

Taiwan's legislature swiftly responded to the country’s latest #MeToo movement and recent high-profile cases triggered by the hit show, Wave Makers, amending three key laws on sexual harassment. On 31 July, amendments to the Gender Equity Education Act, Act of Gender Equality in Employment, and Sexual Harassment Prevention Act were passed. These changes introduce harsher penalties, including up to three-year jail terms and substantial fines, along with longer statute of limitations and broader definitions of sexual harassment. The ruling party also took prompt action to remove officials implicated in sexual misconduct cases. However, critics argue that these amendments, while a "legislative milestone", fall short in addressing harassment beyond the workplace. Activists call for increased fines to prevent retaliation and more targeted educational initiatives to challenge societal attitudes toward sexual harassment.

Sources: Taipei Times, BBC News, The Associated Press

Taiwan's legislature on 16 May approved a change to a law that allows same-sex couples to jointly adopt a child to whom neither of them is biologically related. LGBTQIA+ rights advocates have hailed the move as a significant step towards achieving full marriage equality. Previously, the adoption rules only permitted a same-sex partner to adopt a child if there was a biological connection to their spouse. If neither partner had a biological link to the child, only one partner could legally become the child's parent - a restriction which did not apply to heterosexual couples or single people.

Sources: Taipei Times, CNN, NPR

Taiwan's legislature on 26 May passed the Indigenous Peoples Health Act, aimed at improving Indigenous communities' access to resources and medical care in Taiwan. The act requires regular investigation and study of indigenous communities' health needs, the establishment of a health database, and the training of healthcare personnel. It also emphasizes indigenous representation in healthcare policy and encourages the inclusion of indigenous health content in medical education programs.

In a separate development, long-awaited amendments to the Mining Act in Taiwan were also passed on 26 May, granting more power to indigenous communities over mining rights on their lands. Mining companies are now required to seek the consent of local indigenous people before initiating projects, amongst other things. Large mining projects will also have to undergo rigorous environmental impact reviews.

Sources: Taipei Times (1), Taipei Times (2), Focus Taiwan