Taiwanese Legislature Fight

"Taiwan Legislature Dissolves Into Chaos"

The Associated Press
Friday, January 19, 2007; 9:20 AM

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- A ruling party lawmaker threw a shoe at the speaker of Taiwan's legislature on Friday and assorted colleagues pushed and shoved each other, throwing the final day of the winter legislative session into chaos.

The scenes were reminiscent of past Taiwanese legislative brawls, and represented another low point in the island's sometimes stormy transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Friday's trouble erupted when dozens of lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party stormed the speaker's dais to prevent voting on a proposal to change the composition of the Central Election Commission.

The commission is responsible for administering elections on the island of 23 million people and is generally considered nonpartisan.

Opposition Nationalists responded to the DPP's move by rushing forward to protect speaker Wang Jin-pyng, one of the Nationalists' senior members.

DPP lawmaker Wang Shu-huei flung a shoe at the speaker, but it struck the face of a lawmaker next to him.

Another legislator threw the shoe back at Wang Shu-huei and ripped up a DPP political placard. Earlier, a DPP lawmaker grabbed a Nationalist by the jacket collar and tried to push him down against a desk, while dozens of legislators pushed and shoved in the background.

Taiwan's Legislature has a reputation for violent incidents ever since the dismantling of martial law in 1987.

Friday's brawls followed a motion by the opposition _ which holds a slim majority at the 219-seat Legislature _ asking for the Central Election Commission to be selected according to the parties' electoral strength.

At present, members of the commission are nominated by the government and approved by the president.

The opposition called the commission's impartiality into question amid months of legal wrangling following President Chen Shui-bian's narrow victory in the 2004 presidential election.

© 2007 The Associated Press

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[ironmantis25]

At least the politicians in Taiwan actually "fight" for their ideas. I wish US politicians were more devoted to ideas instead most of our politicians work for the corporations.

[yuloa]

Well, This is the different between Taiwanese and chinese - Taiwanese fight for democracy and chinese kill their people with tanks and machine guns. Viva Formosa.

[chingalos13]

they should have someone ringing like a ring bell in boxing matches would be epic

[ejerej5]

No more big government!

[ejerej5]

Watching the movie, The Cat in The Hat brought me here! Remember, Mrs Kwan watching the TV?

[airtioteclint]

If every nation followed suit we'd have a better world. Fist fights is the only way to solve problems.

[ycy19888]

@yuloa I'd say they are fighting for reelection but what do I know...

[gatteo86]

I wish to have a good parliament like Taiwanese one rather than that disgusting government Italy has got now....

[ThePadywhako]

watching a fight is purely entertainment, the resons piss me off tho, fuk what u think until it gets in the way of my doe

[ThePadywhako]

fighting for anything other than money, revenge, self deffense or altruism is fuking dumb

[Riddlerx333x]

I wish our politicians here in the US would take Taiwan as an example of JUSTICE! lol