Taiwan's Legislative Yuan sent the 2026 central government budget to the Executive Yuan on September 17 and asked the president to promulgate it, more than a month after its August 14 third reading. Once it takes effect, four categories of previously unusable spending worth more than NT$200 billion can proceed, CNA reported.
Why was the budget held? At cross-party talks on August 26, Speaker 
Han Kuo-yu ruled that staff needed enough time to proofread the bills passed at the session's last two August sittings, and that the bills should go to the president for promulgation once proofreading was finished before the new session opened in September, the legislature said. Kuomintang (KMT) caucus secretary-general Hsu Yu-chen said every caucus had agreed, with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials present, and accused critics of "collective amnesia" for recasting normal procedure as the legislature blocking the budget, CNA reported. DPP caucus director-general Chuang Jui-hsiung said his party respected the agreement but that more than a month was too long, asking what proofreading was still unfinished. On September 16 the legislature said collation was nearly complete and all seven volumes were expected to go out that week.
What else was held up? The unpromulgated budget also affected review of a supplementary budget, so that several increases to benefits and allowances could not be paid, CNA reported, citing the Liberty Times. The Cabinet had approved that supplementary budget, worth NT$607.63 billion and covering six areas: stabilising livelihoods, increasing social welfare, raising pay, disaster reconstruction, strengthening defence and launching a child and youth growth allowance. Its three largest items are a NT$233.83 billion capital increase for CPC Corp., NT$187.48 billion for livelihood measures responding to the Middle East conflict, and NT$145.69 billion for defence capability and higher military pay.
How did the Cabinet respond? Premier Cho Jung-tai, speaking to reporters on September 16, thanked the legislature and said an earlier budget would let the government begin helping industry and paying benefits sooner. A Cabinet source said ministries would speed up because only three and a half months of the year remained. Cho told the Cabinet on September 17 that ministries must raise efficiency but obey the law, however rushed.
What happens now? The budget now awaits promulgation by the president, after which the four categories can be spent through statutory procedures. They include about NT$29.9 billion in new projects not previously cleared for advance spending and about NT$180.5 billion in increases to recurring and continuing items such as defence equipment maintenance and ammunition.
Figures referenced: Han Kuo-yu. — JudgeMarket.
