Lai Ching-te Vows to Protect Base-Level Civil Servants in New Budget

ROC President Lai Ching-te today officially promulgated the central government general budget for fiscal year 2026. This move not only symbolizes the full launch of the new year's national fiscal blueprint and administrative plans, but also drops a bombshell through the presidential promulgation endorsement regarding the Legislative Yuan's customary practices during the budget review process. President Lai explicitly pointed out in the endorsement that the Constitution guarantees citizens' right to work in public office, and therefore personnel expenses in the public sector constitute statutory rigid expenditures, which the Legislative Yuan should not appropriately cut or freeze during review and oversight. This endorsement is not only a stern statement on the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches, but also draws a clear red line for the future execution of the central government's personnel budget.

The background of this controversy stems from intense partisan clashes in the Legislative Yuan during recent years' reviews of the central government general budget. To demonstrate oversight strength or express dissatisfaction with specific policies, opposition parties frequently pressure the administration by proposing cuts or freezes to personnel and operational expenses. However, personnel expenses involve the salaries, pension maintenance, and basic rights and interests of a vast number of grassroots civil servants. If frozen or cut, it often inflicts a substantial impact on the routine operations of executive agencies. President Lai's specific inclusion of this endorsement in the promulgation stems from his awareness of the concerns within the grassroots civil service system, emphasizing the constitutional protection of public officials' right to work. He attempted, from the height of the head of state, to clarify the boundaries between statutory expenditures and political wrestling, thereby safeguarding the baseline for the normal operation of the state apparatus.

Beyond the controversy over personnel expenses, President Lai's endorsement also touched upon the execution issues of the general budget during periods of delayed review. According to Article 54 of the Budget Act, when the general budget for the current year fails to be reviewed and completed within the statutory deadline, there is a set of bases and norms for the execution of funds by various agencies. President Lai specifically pointed out in the endorsement that prior to the official promulgation of the general budget, all related expenditures executed by agencies pursuant to Article 54 of the Budget Act constitute legal expenditures and should be handled appropriately. This perspective directly addresses the past dilemmas where executive agencies were vulnerable to criticism whenever budget reviews were delayed, and grassroots civil servants worried about breaking the law or facing political retaliation. It provides the executive team with clear legal endorsement and operational legitimacy when facing budget vacuums.

From the perspective of political and constitutional operations, President Lai's endorsement highlights the ongoing tug-of-war between the executive and legislative branches over the power of budget review. The Legislative Yuan possesses the power of budget review and reduction, which is the core manifestation of the power of oversight in a democratic constitutional system; yet the executive branch bears the constitutional obligation to promote national policies and maintain basic government operations. When the legislature's tactics of cutting and freezing touch upon the constitutionally guaranteed right to work in public office and statutory necessary expenditures, friction between the two powers becomes inevitable. President Lai's choice to make a public statement at the critical juncture of promulgating the general budget is tantamount to drawing boundaries around the Legislative Yuan's oversight power. This is expected to spark a new wave of political debate regarding the separation of powers and the benchmarks for budget review, and the offensive and defensive strategies of legislators from across the political spectrum regarding future budget reviews will inevitably adjust accordingly.

For the administrative team and civil servants nationwide, this endorsement undoubtedly serves as a reassurance. Facing a potentially even more severe legislative ecology in the future, what the civil service system fears most is the obstruction of salary disbursements or the paralysis of operations due to political struggles. By using the prestige of the head of state to explicitly instruct through formal documentation that personnel expenses should not be cut or frozen, and by confirming the legality of budget execution during budget vacuums, the President has effectively built a protective net for civil servants at the institutional level. This will not only help stabilize morale and enhance administrative efficiency, but also ensure that major national affairs and infrastructure can maintain a minimum level of steady operation when facing political disturbances, holding positive and critical significance for the long-term governance of the country.