
Taiwan’s Constitutional Court is under attack.
In May, it struck down a KMT-led legislature’s unconstitutional power grab. In retaliation, the legislature is dismantling the Court—refusing to approve new justices and rewriting the rules to block its operation.
Here’s how: The Court needs 15 justices, but with 7 vacancies this year, only 8 remain. Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem. But the legislature passed a new law requiring a 10-member quorum for the Court to convene—a rule that didn’t exist before.
By refusing to confirm new justices and imposing an impossible quorum, the KMT-led legislature is silencing the Court entirely. The motive? To pass unconstitutional laws unchecked, like easing Chinese influence in Taiwan or stripping citizens of their recall rights.
Public understanding of this crisis is low, and conspiracy theories about judicial bias have further muddied the waters.
Tomorrow, the legislature votes again. If this law passes, Taiwan’s Constitutional Court may lose its ability to safeguard democracy.
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