Taiwan legislators brawl during tax debate

Fighting broke out in Taiwan’s parliament on Tuesday as legislators scuffled and threw coffee during a debate on whether a controversial capital gains tax on share trading should be revised less than a year after it was brought in.

Discussions were brought to a virtual standstill after dozens of lawmakers from the ruling Kuomintang party clashed with opposition legislators as both groups tried to seize the chamber’s podium.

TV images broadcast live nationwide showed two angry women legislators scuffling and an opposition parliamentarian spraying coffee at her Kuomintang counterparts. A female legislator from the Kuomintang was also seen bursting into tears after she was forced off the podium by a male opponent.

In the past Taiwan’s parliament has been notorious for hosting mass brawls between legislators but over the last few years debates have remained peaceful.

The tax, which the government said at the time was part of their efforts to ensure “social justice”, was approved by the ruling Kuomintang controlled parliament in July last year and took effect in January.

But since then the new tax has sparked waves of opposition from influential business groups and big stock traders.