Han Kuo-yu said on National Day that "there are cracks in democracy" Taiwan's Ji Jin: Han Cai is the most responsible
Quick Look
- Wang Xinghuan, chairman of Taiwan's Foundation Progressive Party, pointed out that Taiwan's democracy has regressed in international comparisons in recent years, but the root cause is that the Blue and White parties used the majority in Congress to amend the Constitutional Procedural Law, boycott independent institutions, and pass controversial budgets, paralyzing the Constitutional Court.
- Legislative President Han Guoyu, as the gatekeeper of Congress, did not reflect on his own responsibilities and only accused others of undermining democracy at the National Day ceremony.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Taiwan's democracy has regressed in international evaluations in recent years. The Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index fell from tenth to fifteenth in the world. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance reported that Taiwan's judicial independence was downgraded from the early stage to the middle stage. The main reason was the operational crisis of the Constitutional Court.
Legislative Yuan Hanguo-yu, who is also the chairman of the National Day Preparatory Committee, gave a speech at the National Day ceremony today (10th), using the general recall and the Executive Yuan’s failure to countersign as examples to express the cracks in Taiwan’s democracy, saying that “it must not be regarded by the world as a fake democracy or a true dictatorship.” In this regard, Wang Xinghuan, chairman of Taiwan's Foundation Progressive Party, said that Taiwan's democracy has indeed regressed in international comparisons in recent years, but the root cause lies in the many actions of the blue and white parties that used the majority of Congress to ignore the principles of constitutionalism. As the legislative president, Han Kuo-yu is the person who should bear the most responsibility.
Wang Xinghuan pointed out that Taiwan's ranking in the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index has dropped from tenth to fifteenth in the world, with the "Government Operations" item declining most significantly. The "2026 Global State of Democracy" report released by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance last month also downgraded Taiwan's "judicial independence" from the early stage to the middle stage, mainly due to the operational crisis of the Constitutional Court.
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Wang Xinghuan said that these retrogressions stem from the three actions of Blue and White as the majority in Congress. First, amending the Constitutional Procedure Law raises the threshold for deliberation and vetoes candidates for justices nominated by the president, making it impossible for the Constitutional Court to function normally for a long time. Second, boycott the personnel of independent agencies such as the Supervisory Yuan, the National Human Rights Commission, the National Communications Commission, the Public Television Review Committee, and the Personal Data Protection Commission, causing them to be suspended or idle. Third, budgets and bills that are clearly controversial and unconstitutional have been passed many times. He pointed out that these bills were supposed to be reviewed by the Constitutional Court, but the Constitutional Court was paralyzed, and Blue and White instead accused the executive branch of dictatorship.
Wang Xinghuan emphasized that as the legislative president, Hanguo-yu is the most important gatekeeper of parliamentary affairs. Relevant bills and personnel matters were passed or blocked in the chamber meetings he presided over. However, at the National Day ceremony, he accused others of undermining democracy and said nothing about the parliament he presided over.
Wang Xinghuan said that democracy is not just majority rule. The majority in Congress must also be bound by constitutionalism, respect the separation of powers, and allow the judiciary and independent organs to operate. He emphasized that President Han's words should be more precise. Taiwan cannot become a "fake majority democracy and a real parliamentary dictatorship."
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Constitutional Court will continue to be unable to function normally due to personnel issues in the coming months unless a majority of the Legislative Yuan agrees to resume the deliberative process.
Likely · Within months
The International Democracy Rating Agency will further lower Taiwan's democracy index ranking in the next round of assessments, especially in government operations and judicial independence.
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- When will the Constitutional Court resume normal operations?
- How will boycotted independent agencies restart personnel procedures?
- Will Blue and White adjust their constitutional behavior in response to international pressure?
