Lawmakers in Taiwan are debating the Constitutional Court Act, which would require at least 10 of the court’s 15 justices to preside over each case, a proposal criticized by the Cabinet for potentially paralyzing the judicial system. Opposition parties, who control the legislature, argue that the amendments will strengthen the court by enabling more rigorous reviews of critical cases.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Controversial changes to Taiwan's highest court are up for vote in the legislature.
00:05If they pass, more justices would be required on the constitutional court to make rulings,
00:10which could paralyze the body.
00:12Rick Lourd has been following the reforms that have caused political and social divides
00:16and joins us live from the legislature.
00:18Rick, what's at stake here?
00:21Well, here at Taiwan's legislature, lawmakers are weighing in on the Constitutional Court
00:29Act.
00:30This is a controversial new law that would require 10 justices of the 15-seat court to
00:36rule over each case.
00:37Now, in a sign of just how contentious this law is, this is actually the second time that
00:43the legislature will be discussing and voting on the law.
00:46They first passed it late last year, but Taiwan's cabinet has tossed it back to the legislature
00:52and asked lawmakers to reconsider.
00:55Yesterday, the head of Taiwan's cabinet said that the change could harm Taiwan's constitution
01:02and that it could paralyze the country's judiciary system, because at the moment, there aren't
01:07enough justices sitting on the court.
01:09Now, the main opposition parties, which have control of this legislature, say they want
01:15to strengthen Taiwan's court.
01:17They say they want more rigorous reviews of the issues brought before it.
01:22One of those main opposition parties held a press conference earlier today here at the
01:26legislative UN.
01:52Taiwan's main opposition party has said that they're determined to resolve this issue today
02:06and that they plan to vote and again pass this law by the end of the day.
02:10But amendments like this are splitting Taiwan's society.
02:14They're prompting warnings from lawyers and scholars, and they've also brought tens of
02:18thousands of people at times out onto the streets around this legislature in protest.
02:25Behind all this is deep political division here in Taiwan.
02:29The ruling Democratic Progressive Party, or the DPP, has control of the presidential office,
02:35whilst two main opposition groups have the majority here in the legislature.
02:41Each side is now accusing the other of playing party politics with Taiwan's top court and
02:47says that the country's democracy is at stake.