Legislative Yuan

Legislative Yuan. It is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China, commonly referred to as Taiwan. Established under the Constitution of the Republic of China, it is one of the five branches of government in the political system of the Republic of China. The body is responsible for enacting statutes, approving the national budget, and overseeing the Executive Yuan.

History

The institution was first founded in 1928 in Nanjing under the Kuomintang-led Nationalist government, following the completion of the Northern Expedition. It initially functioned as the national legislature under the political tutelage period outlined by Sun Yat-sen. After the Second Sino-Japanese War and the resumption of the Chinese Civil War, the government relocated to Taipei in 1949 following the Kuomintang retreat to Taiwan. For decades, its members were largely selected through non-competitive elections until major democratic reforms in the 1990s, including the termination of the Temporary Provisions against the Communist Rebellion and the full re-election of all seats in 1992, transformed it into a fully democratic body.

Structure and organization

The legislative body is led by a President and a Vice President, who are elected from among its members. Internal work is conducted through a system of standing committees, such as the Finance Committee, Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, and the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee. The Legislative Yuan Procedure Act governs its internal rules and operations. Key administrative support is provided by the Secretariat of the Legislative Yuan, while the Directorate-General of Personnel and the Department of General Affairs manage administrative functions.

Powers and functions

Its constitutional powers include the passage of all statutory laws, such as the Civil Code and the Criminal Code of the Republic of China. It holds the authority to approve the national budget submitted by the Executive Yuan and to ratify important treaties, like the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty historically. The body exercises oversight through interpellation sessions, where members question the Premier and ministers, and can initiate investigations through bodies like the Control Yuan. It also has the power to propose constitutional amendments and to approve emergency decrees issued by the President of the Republic of China.

Elections and composition

Members, known as legislators, are elected to four-year terms through a mixed-member majoritarian system. Of the 113 total seats, 73 are elected from single-member districts using first-past-the-post voting, 34 are allocated through party-list proportional representation from a single nationwide constituency, and 6 are reserved for indigenous representatives elected via single non-transferable vote in two special constituencies. Major political parties represented include the Democratic Progressive Party, the Kuomintang, and the Taiwan People's Party. Elections are administered by the Central Election Commission.

Relationship with other branches

It maintains a system of checks and balances with the Executive Yuan, which is headed by the Premier appointed by the President of the Republic of China. The legislature can pass a vote of no confidence against the Premier. It interacts with the Judicial Yuan through the latter's power of judicial review, as exercised by the Council of Grand Justices. While the Control Yuan is an independent audit and monitoring branch, certain impeachment proposals from it require legislative consent. The President of the Republic of China delivers annual reports on the state of the nation to the assembly.

Category:National legislatures Category:Government of Taiwan