Taiwan constitutional standoff: DPP warns Han Kuo-yu that legislative majority does not outrank the constitution

Aug 18, 2026

Taiwan's government is locked in a fight between the parliament and the cabinet, and neither side is backing down — bad news for anyone hoping for stable governing in Taipei.

  • The cabinet refused to countersign a child savings account law passed by the opposition-controlled parliament, and speaker Han Kuo-yu accused the government of putting its power above the constitution.
  • The ruling DPP fired back that a parliamentary majority is not unlimited power either, and cannot simply take over the cabinet's job.
  • The DPP warned that if the majority rules everything, real power ends up with KMT caucus leader Fu Kun-chi, pointing to his past proposals for trillions in rail and highway spending.
  • Normally the constitutional court would settle this, but the DPP says the opposition has hobbled that court and the watchdog Control Yuan, leaving no referee.
  • The DPP also attacked Han personally, saying he stayed silent while parliamentary procedure was steamrolled instead of protecting the institution.

Outlook: With no working court to arbitrate, the deadlock will likely drag on until the two camps negotiate directly.

← Latest · Archive