TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Democratic Progressive Party on Monday criticized an opposition proposal to process the 2026 central government budget in separate packages, arguing the budget should be reviewed as a whole.
Kuomintang Deputy Secretary-General Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said Saturday that the Legislative Yuan may need to process “existing programs” and “controversial or new programs” separately, per Tai Sounds. He cited the executive branch’s refusal to include benefit increases for military personnel, police officers, and firefighters — all mandated by laws passed by the opposition — as the rationale behind the proposal.
The Cabinet, meanwhile, argued that the benefit increases infringe on the executive branch’s authority to propose budgets and has requested a legal review, per CNA. The KMT has reportedly considered invoking Article 54 of the Budget Act to allow funding for projects such as the TPASS transportation subsidy program and maternity benefits to proceed.
In response, DPP Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) said the 2026 budget should be forwarded to legislative committees in its entirety, per CNA. Asked how the DPP would respond if the opposition proceeds with its plan, DPP Legislative Caucus Director Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) said past deviations from established legislative norms have often been struck down by the Constitutional Court, making them difficult to implement.
KMT Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) countered the criticism, saying the Cabinet could have submitted proposals to unlock funding for new programs such as TPASS separately from the 2026 budget but chose not to do so, per Z.Media. He said the Legislative Yuan is already working on a proposal that would prioritize budgets with the greatest impact on the public.
A former official with the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics explained that standard practice allows the executive branch to selectively submit new programs only when a budget for a given fiscal year has not been approved, per Liberty Times.
A KMT legislative insider said the budget would still be submitted as a single motion before being reviewed as separate components by different committees, per Tai Sounds. The insider added that existing programs automatically continue if the budget is not passed, while new programs are unable to operate.
The insider said allowing certain new programs to proceed would undermine the opposition’s attempt to boycott the budget over the executive’s failure to implement legislated benefits. The source warned that approving new programs without Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) briefing lawmakers on the budget could set a dangerous precedent.
A separate KMT source, who said he was less familiar with the inner workings of the Legislative Yuan, argued that if the Constitutional Court can proceed with legal reviews despite quorum disputes, the KMT should not insist on procedural constraints when the executive branch fails to comply with laws passed by the legislature. The source said separating new programs from the overall budget is not explicitly prohibited by law.
In the meantime, the governments of Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, and Taoyuan have said they will help sustain the TPASS program until the Legislative Yuan passes the 2026 budget, per CMedia. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) urged the Cabinet to communicate with lawmakers over benefit increases guaranteed under opposition-backed legislation.
New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) echoed Chiang’s remarks, saying budget reviews are often contentious, per Liberty Times. He praised the KMT proposal, saying it would help safeguard the public interest.
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) commented Saturday that selectively advancing portions of the budget is an insufficient goodwill gesture, per PTS. He said the budget should be reviewed thoroughly as a whole.
