Taiwan’s legislative reforms will weaken the president

Significance The TPP is not a natural ally for either the KMT or Lai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) but it has enabled a KMT initiative to hobble the presidency. Lai intends to appeal to the constitutional court, arguing that the law unduly curbs his power. Impacts Public protests, already present before the passage of the amendments, will likely continue. Diplomatic allies will seek clarification over the bills' potential negative impact on national security given data sharing requirements. Private firms will object to the bills’ potential to reveal trade secrets and proprietary information via proposed legislative oversight. KMT attacks on the presidency could backfire and dent party support.