TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Kuomintang (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers Friday (May 17) scuffled with each other inside and outside the Legislative Yuan over a vote on parliamentary reform bills.

The Legislative Yuan was slated to vote on parliamentary reform bills, reported CNA. However, KMT and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) legislators set up defensive lines outside and inside the Legislative Yuan to thwart an attempt by the DPP to launch a filibuster. 

KMT and TPP lawmakers had held a vigil outside the Legislative Yuan since Wednesday (May 15) to get a head start on their DPP rivals and secure the right to propose bills first when doors opened at 7 a.m.

However, the DPP caucus appeared outside the entrance at 6:45 a.m. in an attempt to enter the legislature first and seize the rostrum. This led to the first intense clash between DPP and KMT lawmakers involving pushing and shoving outside the entrance.

Leveraging their numerical advantage, the KMT and TPP caucuses occupied the rostrum to ensure the session could start. Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) arrived outside the chamber around 8:30 a.m., and when the media asked if he was worried about not getting to the rostrum, he replied, "Good morning, everyone."

At 9:40 a.m., all DPP legislators in the chamber moved forward to register their speeches with the staff, while the KMT and TPP legislators on the rostrum stood at the ready.

It was not until 10:08 a.m. that Han, escorted by KMT legislators, entered the chamber and started the session. After reading the conclusions of the negotiations, they skipped the open forum and went directly to the reports.

Upon reaching the 48th report item, the KMT caucus proposed it proceed directly to the second reading. Despite opposition from the DPP caucus, Han announced the voting would commence. 

During the interval when KMT legislators left the rostrum to retrieve voting cards, DPP legislators rushed the rostrum, leading to the second wave of scuffles between the two sides.

Although DPP Legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) managed to break through and reach the rostrum, he was carried away by KMT legislators.

DPP Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) attempted to climb the rostrum but was pulled down, while DPP legislator Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) and KMT Legislator Hsieh Long-jie (謝龍介) pushed each other. 

After the voting on the proposal concluded, Han announced a recess at 10:38 a.m.

DPP Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) and KMT Legislator Yeh Yuan-chih (葉元之) also had a verbal confrontation on the floor, which was soon diffused by DPP Legislator Tsai Yi-yu (蔡易餘) who stepped in to separate them.

Even after the recess was announced, verbal clashes between the blue and green legislators continued inside the chamber.