Taipei City Council Introduction
In the early period after the restoration of Taiwan, to establish the foundation for local autonomy, on December 26, 1945, the Taiwan Provincial Government announced the "Plan for the Establishment of Various Levels of People's Representative Bodies in Taiwan." According to the "Organization Regulations for City Councils" and the "Senator Election Regulations" released by the National Government, the Taipei City Council was established on April 15, 1946. Although the Council was a people's representative body, it was purely advisory at that time. After the National Government relocated to Taiwan on December 7, 1949, the local autonomy system did not operate according to the constitutional framework. On April 24, 1950, a new "Guidelines for the Implementation of Local Autonomy in Counties and Cities of Taiwan Province" was issued to promote local autonomy in Taiwan, marking the entry into the provincial city council period. On July 1, 1967, Taipei City was elevated from a provincial city to a directly governed city, and until the establishment of the first directly governed city council on December 25, 1969, the Taipei City Temporary Council exercised its authority during the transitional period. However, the legal system regarding the autonomy of directly governed cities was not yet complete, relying on administrative orders, notably the "Guidelines for the Organization and Implementation of Local Autonomy in Taipei City" issued by the Executive Yuan on June 22, 1967, as the legal basis for such autonomy. The "Autonomy Law for Directly Governed Cities" came into effect on July 29, 1994, establishing legal protection for the Taipei City Council's legislative powers, financial oversight powers, and administrative supervisory powers, thereby truly implementing the constitutional stipulation in Article 118 that "the autonomy of directly governed cities shall be defined by law." To respond to the trend of decentralization between central and local governments, the "Local System Act," which was announced and implemented on January 25, 1999, integrated the regulations for the autonomy of directly governed cities and provincial counties/cities, opening a new chapter in the development of local autonomy in Taiwan. The Taipei City Council serves as the local legislative body, representing the citizens in supervising municipal affairs, with legislators from various districts representing a diverse society exercising legislative authority. Through the processes of proposals, discussions, debates, and negotiations, following the democratic principle of "obeying the majority and respecting the minority," diverse public opinions can become policies and laws that are collectively adhered to by the citizens, safeguarding the rights and interests of local residents. In recent years, the Council has committed to reflecting public opinion, overseeing municipal affairs, promoting harmonious relations between the government and the council, facilitating party negotiations, and enhancing city exchanges, while striving to improve the transparency of proceedings and e-government initiatives. It hopes to fulfill its responsibilities as a local legislative body by supervising the city government to promote public interests, eliminate malpractices, enhance citizens' welfare, and improve the quality of life for city residents. (Source: Taipei City Council)
