General Budget Bill to Be Sent to Committee for Review on 21st, Cross-Party Deadlock Expected to Be Resolved
The cross-party dispute over the 115th fiscal year central government general budget bill is moving towards resolution through the mediation of Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu. Opposition parties, dissatisfied with the Executive Yuan's failure to include budgets for military salary increases and improved police/firefighter pension replacement rates, have agreed to refer the budget bill to committee after Premier Cho Jung-tai's report and interpellation. The Executive Yuan will submit amendments to military and police treatment regulations within six months. This is expected to break the long-standing deadlock in budget deliberations.
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- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 12:28
- 🔍 Collected: April 18, 2026 at 13:01 (33 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 18, 2026 at 13:04 (2 min after Collected)
Taipei, April 18 (CNA) The blue and white parties (Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party) had been boycotting the 115th fiscal year central government general budget bill due to dissatisfaction with the Executive Yuan's failure to include budgets for military salary increases and improved police and firefighter pension replacement rates. A consensus was reached among cross-party caucuses on April 15, agreeing to invite Premier Cho Jung-tai to report on the general budget bill on April 21 and be interpellated, after which the bill will be referred for review. Furthermore, the Executive Yuan is to propose amendments related to military and police treatment within six months, which is expected to resolve the deadlock.
The 115th fiscal year central government general budget bill has not yet entered the Legislative Yuan's review stage. The Executive Yuan Council passed the '115th Fiscal Year Central Government General Budget Bill and Subsidiary Unit Budgets and Consolidated Statements' on August 21 last year, with revenues totaling NT$2.8623 trillion and expenditures totaling NT$3.035 trillion, and sent it to the Legislative Yuan for review.
Due to dissatisfaction with the Executive Yuan's failure to include relevant budgets for military salary increases and increased pension replacement rates for retired police and firefighters, which had been passed by the Legislative Yuan, the Taiwan People's Party Legislative Yuan caucus filed a motion for reconsideration on the general budget bill on October 7 last year. The Kuomintang Legislative Yuan caucus also expressed support, leading to the 115th fiscal year general budget bill being stalled and unable to be referred for committee review.
Regarding the failure to include budgets for military salary increases and increased pension replacement rates for retired police and firefighters, Premier Cho Jung-tai stated that considering fairness and balance among different civil servants, the general budget bill did not include military treatment adjustments and parts of the police and firefighter retirement regulations. He plans to file for a constitutional interpretation when the general budget bill is sent out, and adjustments will be made based on the interpretation results, which can also be applied retroactively.
However, the opposition parties did not accept the Executive Yuan's explanation. The Kuomintang caucus stated that compiling the budget according to law is a constitutional obligation of the Executive Yuan, and the Executive Yuan cannot temporarily refrain from compiling relevant budgets passed by the parliament just because it deems them unconstitutional. Legislators exercise their powers according to law and cannot review an illegal general budget bill.
As cross-party consensus could not be reached, the 115th fiscal year central government general budget has been stalled since October 7 last year. Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu posted on Facebook on April 2, stating that administrative agencies acting in accordance with the law is a basic principle of a rule-of-law state, and for legal bills passed by the Legislative Yuan, the Executive Yuan should endorse and implement them according to law; for general budget bills and special budget bills, the Legislative Yuan, based on its constitutional obligations, should review them as soon as possible and implement oversight. He hoped that cross-party efforts would promote national development and the return of democratic operations to normal.
Finally, Han Kuo-yu convened a cross-party caucus negotiation on April 15. The Legislative Yuan's cross-party caucuses reached a consensus today, agreeing to invite Cho Jung-tai on April 21 to report on the compilation process of the 115th fiscal year central government general budget bill, including the handling of budgets for voluntary military personnel salary increases and police and firefighter pensions, and to be interpellated. After the interpellation, the bill will be referred for review, and the Taiwan People's Party caucus also withdrew its motion for reconsideration on the general budget bill filed earlier.
In addition, cross-party consensus was also reached that the cross-party caucuses agree on the referral of the 115th fiscal year general budget bill to committee. To ensure harmonious interaction between the administration and the legislature, the agreed points include that the Executive Yuan should, within six months after the 115th fiscal year central government general budget bill is referred to committee, propose relevant amendments to the military personnel treatment regulations and police personnel regulations, as well as other measures to protect military, public, and educational personnel, to demonstrate its intent to respond to legislative guarantees of their rights and interests.
Furthermore, for new project expenditure cases passed by the Legislative Yuan before the completion of the general budget bill review, the Executive Yuan should immediately execute them. The Legislative Yuan agrees to list them as is during the review of new projects, without freezing them. The general budget deadlock is expected to be resolved. (Editor: Zhai Sijia) 1150418
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The 115th fiscal year central government general budget bill has not yet entered the Legislative Yuan's review stage. The Executive Yuan Council passed the '115th Fiscal Year Central Government General Budget Bill and Subsidiary Unit Budgets and Consolidated Statements' on August 21 last year, with revenues totaling NT$2.8623 trillion and expenditures totaling NT$3.035 trillion, and sent it to the Legislative Yuan for review.
Due to dissatisfaction with the Executive Yuan's failure to include relevant budgets for military salary increases and increased pension replacement rates for retired police and firefighters, which had been passed by the Legislative Yuan, the Taiwan People's Party Legislative Yuan caucus filed a motion for reconsideration on the general budget bill on October 7 last year. The Kuomintang Legislative Yuan caucus also expressed support, leading to the 115th fiscal year general budget bill being stalled and unable to be referred for committee review.
Regarding the failure to include budgets for military salary increases and increased pension replacement rates for retired police and firefighters, Premier Cho Jung-tai stated that considering fairness and balance among different civil servants, the general budget bill did not include military treatment adjustments and parts of the police and firefighter retirement regulations. He plans to file for a constitutional interpretation when the general budget bill is sent out, and adjustments will be made based on the interpretation results, which can also be applied retroactively.
However, the opposition parties did not accept the Executive Yuan's explanation. The Kuomintang caucus stated that compiling the budget according to law is a constitutional obligation of the Executive Yuan, and the Executive Yuan cannot temporarily refrain from compiling relevant budgets passed by the parliament just because it deems them unconstitutional. Legislators exercise their powers according to law and cannot review an illegal general budget bill.
As cross-party consensus could not be reached, the 115th fiscal year central government general budget has been stalled since October 7 last year. Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu posted on Facebook on April 2, stating that administrative agencies acting in accordance with the law is a basic principle of a rule-of-law state, and for legal bills passed by the Legislative Yuan, the Executive Yuan should endorse and implement them according to law; for general budget bills and special budget bills, the Legislative Yuan, based on its constitutional obligations, should review them as soon as possible and implement oversight. He hoped that cross-party efforts would promote national development and the return of democratic operations to normal.
Finally, Han Kuo-yu convened a cross-party caucus negotiation on April 15. The Legislative Yuan's cross-party caucuses reached a consensus today, agreeing to invite Cho Jung-tai on April 21 to report on the compilation process of the 115th fiscal year central government general budget bill, including the handling of budgets for voluntary military personnel salary increases and police and firefighter pensions, and to be interpellated. After the interpellation, the bill will be referred for review, and the Taiwan People's Party caucus also withdrew its motion for reconsideration on the general budget bill filed earlier.
In addition, cross-party consensus was also reached that the cross-party caucuses agree on the referral of the 115th fiscal year general budget bill to committee. To ensure harmonious interaction between the administration and the legislature, the agreed points include that the Executive Yuan should, within six months after the 115th fiscal year central government general budget bill is referred to committee, propose relevant amendments to the military personnel treatment regulations and police personnel regulations, as well as other measures to protect military, public, and educational personnel, to demonstrate its intent to respond to legislative guarantees of their rights and interests.
Furthermore, for new project expenditure cases passed by the Legislative Yuan before the completion of the general budget bill review, the Executive Yuan should immediately execute them. The Legislative Yuan agrees to list them as is during the review of new projects, without freezing them. The general budget deadlock is expected to be resolved. (Editor: Zhai Sijia) 1150418
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Download CNA's 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.
FAQ
When will the review of the 115th fiscal year central government general budget bill begin?
The review will begin on April 21, after Premier Cho Jung-tai's report and interpellation.
What measures will the Executive Yuan take regarding the treatment of military personnel, police, and firefighters?
The Executive Yuan plans to submit relevant amendments to the military personnel treatment regulations and police personnel regulations within six months after the general budget bill is referred to committee.