Taipei: The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus announced Wednesday that a recent survey indicates a majority opposes what they describe as “unfair” opposition efforts to end annual cuts to civil servant pensions.

According to Focus Taiwan, DPP Legislator Wu Szu-yao stated at a news conference that the survey, conducted by the party headquarters, revealed that 59.7 percent of respondents support the continuation of pension reforms initiated by the DPP in 2016. In contrast, only 31.7 percent believe these reforms should be stopped.

Since 2020, civil servants in Taiwan have faced 1.5 percent annual income replacement ratio cuts. These cuts are scheduled to continue through 2029, ultimately reducing the ratio by 15 percent. However, last month, the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) submitted a series of bills aiming to reverse much of the DPP’s reforms.

The opposition’s proposals not only seek to halt the annual cuts but also require civil servant pensions to account for inflation. Wu emphasized that the DPP caucus believes halting the reforms would worsen inequality between active and retired workers, civil servants, and individuals receiving labor, farmer, and national pensions.

Moreover, Wu cautioned that resultant pension fund shortfalls would be borne by the entire citizenry, which she also deemed “unfair.” On Saturday, the KMT legislative caucus declared these bills as a top priority for the current legislative session. The opposition party urged the government to “take responsibility” for supporting the retirement benefits of military personnel, civil servants, and teachers, particularly in the face of rising prices and the impact of U.S. tariffs.