Taiwan’s lawmakers pass 2026 budget after record delay
Opposition parties, which hold the most parliamentary seats, agree to this year's budget nearly eight months after the spending plan was due for approval.
Taiwan's lawmakers have finally passed the 2026 budget, ending a lengthy delay, just ahead of the parliament's review of next year's spending proposal. President Lai Ching-te's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government and opposition parties have been in disagreement over government spending, especially on defense. The DPP initially proposed a budget of just over T$3 trillion (around US$94 billion), marking a 3.8% increase from 2025.
However, opposition lawmakers agreed to trim this year's budget by T$48 billion (around 1.6%), after nearly eight months of negotiations. This marks the longest time ever for parliament to approve an annual general budget. The opposition reduced the number of proposed amendments from over 1,700 to a final 40-50 proposals, showcasing the parliament's utmost goodwill.
Opposition party leader Fu Kun-chi expressed his dedication to the effort, hoping for the nation's progress and better lives for its people. In Taiwan, annual budget approval delays do not lead to a government shutdown, as the previous year's expenditure plan is automatically applied for the current year, allowing existing programs to continue operating.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Taiwan’s lawmakers pass 2026 budget after record delay freemalaysiatoday.com
