Taipei City Council Introduction
In the early period after Taiwan's restoration, to establish the foundation for local autonomy, the Provincial Government of Taiwan announced the "Plan for the Establishment of Various Levels of Local Representative Bodies" on December 26, 1945. Based on the "Organization Regulations for City Councils" and the "Regulations for the Election of Councilors" published by the National Government, the Taipei City Council was established on April 15, 1946. Although the council was a representative body, it only had an advisory role 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 system. On April 24, 1950, another "Guidelines for Implementing Local Autonomy in Various Counties and Cities of Taiwan Province" was issued as a basis for promoting local autonomy in Taiwan, which then transitioned into the city council period under provincial governance. On July 1, 1967, Taipei City was upgraded from a provincial city to a special municipality. Until the establishment of the first special municipality council on December 25, 1969, it was a transitional period in which the temporary city council of Taipei exercised its powers. However, the legal framework for the autonomy of special municipalities was not yet complete and was still based on administrative orders. On June 22, 1967, the Executive Yuan promulgated "The Guidelines for the Organization and Implementation of Local Autonomy in Taipei City" as the legal foundation for the autonomy of special municipalities. After the "Special Municipality Autonomy Act" was promulgated on July 29, 1994, the Taipei City Council gained legal protection for its legislative, financial supervision, and administrative supervision powers, thereby truly implementing the stipulation of Article 118 of the Constitution that "The autonomy of special municipalities shall be defined by law." To respond to the trend of decentralization between the central and local governments, the "Local System Act," which came into effect on January 25, 1999, integrated the regulations of autonomy for special municipalities and provinces/counties (cities) into one, opening a new chapter in the development history of local autonomy in Taiwan. The Taipei City Council, as a local legislative body, represents the citizens in supervising municipal affairs. Councilors from various districts, representing a diverse society, exercise legislative powers. Through the processes of proposing, discussing, debating, and negotiating, the council adheres to the democratic principle of "obeying the majority and respecting the minority," allowing diverse public opinions to become policies and laws that the citizens can jointly follow, thus safeguarding the rights and interests of local residents. In recent years, the council has worked hard to reflect public opinion, supervise municipal affairs, maintain harmonious government-city relations, facilitate party negotiations, and promote urban exchanges, while also striving to enhance the transparency and e-governance of legislative processes. By exercising legislative supervision, the council aims to urge the city government to promote efficiency, eliminate any malpractices, enhance citizens' welfare, and improve citizens' quality of life, fulfilling the duties of a local legislative body. (Source: Taipei City Council)
