Civic groups rally outside Taiwan's legislature demanding swift budget and defense action

Over 40 civil societies, led by the Taiwan Citizen Front and Taiwan Economic Democracy Union, staged a demonstration at the Legislative Yuan on the opening day of the new session. They demanded that opposition legislators, mainly from the Chinese Nationalist Party and Taiwan People’s Party, cease blocking the review of the 2026 supplementary budget, accelerate domestic drone development, and stop postponing social welfare allocations.

Lai Chung-chiang, convener of the Taiwan Economic Democracy Union, argued that legislative paralysis endangers Taiwan’s security, citing China’s PLA modernization and recent maritime capabilities. He issued four “alerts” to stress urgency, noting that the budget must be passed within a month to allow defense spending to be executed before year-end. In related news, Ocean Affairs Council minister Kuan Bi-ling said a decommissioned Coast Guard vessel had been donated to the Philippines, a move criticised by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office. The protest underscores growing pressure on lawmakers to address fiscal and security challenges.