(Bloomberg) -- Taiwan’s Constitutional Court suspended controversial legal changes expanding lawmakers’ powers, putting the brakes on a move critics say is aimed at derailing the new administration of President Lai Ching-te.
The court will temporarily halt the amendments while deciding whether they are constitutional, it said in a statement on Friday. Under Taiwan law, that suspension can last up to six months.
At stake is whether lawmakers will get more power to open probes of the executive branch, summon officials including the president, and even demand company executives appear to answer questions.
Amid widespread public protests, the amendments were pushed through by opposition parties who won a narrow legislative majority in January elections, even as Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party retained the presidency.
The court said it is consolidating multiple challenges against the changes into one case. That includes one from the Control Yuan, the branch of government responsible for probing and impeaching public officials, which says the changes undermine the separation of powers.
The opposition Kuomintang and its Taiwan People’s Party allies say the new laws would improve oversight and accountability of the government.
But DPP supporters say lawmakers would use their new powers to disrupt President Lai’s agenda. They also warn that would disrupt Lai’s ability to manage relations with both China and the US.
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