TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said Friday the Cabinet will countersign an opposition-backed decision to turn back pension reform but ask the Constitutional Court for a ruling.

The opposition used its majority at the Legislative Yuan on Dec. 12 to approve the Civil Servants Retirement, Discharge, and Pensions Act and to revise Articles 37, 38, and 67 of the Public School Employee Retirement, Discharge, and Pensions Act. The government has said the measures reversed seven years of pension reform, threatening the sustainability of the pension system.

The Cabinet needed to decide Friday whether to withhold its countersignature on the opposition package, send it to the Constitutional Court for an interpretation, or seek legislative reconsideration. Cho said Friday that the Cabinet would countersign the measure and let it become law, but refer it to the Constitutional Court for a final verdict, per CNA.

At Friday’s Cabinet meeting, Cho said the opposition bill went against the Constitution, against the separation of powers, and against the need of ample discussion at the Legislative Yuan. However, because the Constitutional Court had resumed its operations, the Cabinet would send the law to the judges for a ruling, the premier said.

Cho added that the Cabinet still maintained the right to refuse its countersignature. In the case of laws violating the constitutional system, undermining national security, and damaging the nation’s financial discipline, the government could try to avert irreparable damage by refusing its countersignature, he said.