Ｗritten by Min-Yuan Hung.
Image credit: All about democracy by albyantoniazzi / Flickr, license: CC BY-NC 2.0.
On the eve of President Lai Ching-te’s inauguration on May 20, Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, the parliament of Taiwan, witnessed severe violence on May 17. Legislators from both the ruling and opposition parties clashed fiercely over two key issues: the bill of expanding the parliamentary power and the procedural justice of bill reviewing. The opposition parties, the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) were criticized for lacking substantial discussion on the legislative process and for proposing reforms that were seen as excessively expanding legislative power. Despite these concerns, they attempted to leverage their majority in the Legislative Yuan to force a vote on the bill. This situation sparked public outrage, leading to mass protests on May 17, 21, 24, and 28. Citizens demanded that the KMT and TPP withdraw the bill and subject it to a more thorough review. The largest protest, on May 24, saw a turnout of up to 100,000 people.
Whether it’s the collective protest of the Bluebird Movement (aimed at maintaining the balance between executive and legislative powers) or the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te (marking the first time a party has been re-elected twice), foreign media often link Taiwan’s political activities to cross-strait relations. However, the momentum of the Bluebird Movement needs to be understood within the broader context of Taiwan’s democratic movements. These mobilizations and ongoing democratic reforms underscore that protecting the cherished democratic way of life is a critical motivation for citizen activism in Taiwan. This narrative is essential to the Bluebird Movement and should not be overlooked.
Taiwan’s democratic movements since the 1990s
The Wild Lily student movement of 1990 was a crucial turning point in Taiwan’s journey toward democracy and political openness. Although Taiwan officially ended nearly forty years of authoritarian rule in 1987, the political environment still bore the marks of its authoritarian past. One of the most controversial remnants was the “National Assembly’’ which had not been re-elected in forty years. In March 1990, the National Assembly passed a bill attempting to extend its term from six to nine years. This move became the catalyst for widespread public discontent against the so-called “eternal parliament.”
One of the main demands of the Wild Lily movement was the abolition of the National Assembly and the reformation of Taiwan’s political and economic environment. As a result of the movement’s advocacy, in 1911, Taiwan officially abolished “The Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion’’, in place since the Chinese Civil War in 1948. In 1996, Taiwan held its first direct presidential election, a historic milestone. Even more exciting was the election four years later, in 2000, when the people of Taiwan, through their votes, peacefully ended the KMT’s long-standing rule since World War II, electing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Chen Shui-bian as president.
However, during Chen Shui-bian’s second term in 2006, he became embroiled in multiple corruption scandals, sparking the Million Voices Against Corruption, President Chen Must Go campaign. This movement was notably led by Shih Ming-teh, an ally of the DPP and a veteran activist who had been imprisoned multiple times for opposing the KMT’s authoritarian regime before. The campaign drew tens of thousands of people to the streets, demanding a clean government and Chen’s resignation. Despite the protests, Chen managed to complete his term until 2008, but the scandals severely damaged public trust in the DPP. This paved the way for Taiwan’s second transition of power, with the KMT regaining control. Ma Ying-jeou, who campaigned on a platform of integrity, was elected as president.
Similarly, towards the end of Ma Ying-jeou’s second term in 2014, the Sunflower Student Movement erupted. The KMT held an absolute majority in the Legislative Yuan and attempted to forcibly pass the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement, which was seen as insufficiently reviewed. The agreement aimed to increase commercial exchanges with China, raising concerns about both economic and political implications. In response, university students and civic groups stormed and occupied the Legislative Yuan to block the bill, their main demand being the withdrawal of the “black box” trade agreement.
Eventually, Wang Jin-pyng, the then-President of the Legislative Yuan, negotiated with the students and agreed to postpone the review of the agreement. This led the protesters to withdraw from the Legislative Yuan, ending nearly a month of occupation. This severe protest further damaged the already low approval ratings of Ma Ying-jeou’s administration. Consequently, it paved the way for Taiwan’s third democratic transition in 2016, resulting in the election of Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s first female president, who began her eight-year tenure as the leader of the DPP.
The Bluebird movement: Taiwan’s commitment to democracy
Returning to the present, under Tsai Ing-wen’s leadership, the DPP has become the first party in Taiwan’s democratic history to win a third consecutive term. However, the accumulated “incumbent disadvantage” over eight years has allowed the opposition parties, the KMT and the TPP, to gain a majority in the Legislative Yuan. To enhance legislative oversight over executive power, the KMT and TPP have drafted bills to expand parliamentary powers. They attempted to leverage their numerical advantage to hastily approve these bills without thorough discussion in the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee. This action sparked the current protests, known as the “Bluebird Movement,” which primarily address issues of procedural justice and the expansion of parliamentary powers. On the procedural justice front, the public demands that the Legislative Yuan should not be a place of majority tyranny. People envision a democracy built on communication and discussion, especially crucial in an era dominated by polarized online dialogues. Participants of the Bluebird Movement value rationale debates and consider them essential to the democratic process.
Regarding the expansion of parliamentary powers, the proposed bills not only increase the Legislative Yuan’s supervisory and punitive authority over administrative officials but also extend its investigative and punitive powers over citizens. Without sufficient discussion, the public remains unclear about the potential impact of these laws on daily life. Furthermore, these bills could infringe on the constitutional duties of the Control Yuan (Taiwan’s oversight body for impeaching and censuring officials), raising further questions about their legitimacy.
In the Freedom House 2024 rankings, Taiwan stands 19th globally and 2nd in Asia (just behind Japan). This ranking places Taiwan ahead of advanced Western democracies like Germany, the UK, France, and the US. Despite pressures from the Chinese Communist Party’s electoral interference and military threats, Taiwan has achieved remarkable democratic and freedom milestones. These accomplishments are not solely rooted in nationalism against China but are also a testament to the persistent efforts of generations of Taiwanese people. Over the past 30 years, they have taken to the streets to protect the democratic life they cherish until today.
The “Bluebird’’ in the Bluebird Movement draws from Taoist mythology, where it serves as a messenger of good news and attends to the goddess symbolizing immortality. This symbolizes the Taiwanese people’s hope to convey the message of democracy and freedom through their protests, aspiring for an eternal democratic and free way of life. The Bluebird Movement is not a random beginning nor a reaction to U.S.-China tensions. It represents Taiwan’s ongoing efforts to achieve a more democratic and free society. Whenever anyone, be it a person, party, or nation, tries to threaten Taiwan’s freedom and democracy, the Taiwanese will stand up against it. The history of protests is the history of Taiwan’s democracy, and we will continue to fight for our freedom and democracy.
This article was published as part of a special issue on ‘Bluebird Movement: Legislative Reform Protests in Taiwan’.
Taiwan Insight 