Taiwan's ruling party and the opposition-controlled legislature are locked in a deepening fight over who controls spending, with each side accusing the other of breaking the constitution.

• Opposition lawmakers say the cabinet is turning its refusal to countersign bills into a veto power it does not have.
• The DPP hit back, saying the premier is defending the constitution, not blocking democracy.
• The fight is about money: the cabinet writes the budget, the legislature reviews it, and the constitution bars lawmakers from proposing new spending.
• The DPP says the KMT-TPP majority keeps pushing big spending bills through as law changes, gutting the cabinet's power and wrecking the country's finances.
• The cabinet says it signs off on any bill that is legal and reasonable, but will not sign laws it sees as an unconstitutional power grab.

Outlook: Expect the standoff to move toward more constitutional challenges as neither side backs down over budget control.