nuclear-news

Taiwan’s parliamentary nuclear fight becomes physical

Taiwan MPs brawl over nuclear plant SMH, August 2, 2013  Taiwanese MPs exchanged punches and threw water at each other ahead of an expected vote to authorise a national referendum on whether to build a fourth nuclear power plant on the densely populated island of 23 million people.

Nuclear power has long been a contentious issue in Taiwan and became more so following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011. Friday’s fracas pitted the pro-referendum forces of President Ma Ying-jeou’s ruling Nationalist Party against strongly anti-nuclear forces affiliated with the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party….. DPP MPs occupied the legislative podium late on Thursday night amid vows to disrupt the referendum vote, tentatively scheduled for noon local time on Friday.

With a large Nationalist majority in the 113-seat legislature, the referendum bill is expected to pass easily.

Physical confrontations broke out Friday morning. http://www.smh.com.au/world/taiwan-mps-brawl-over-nuclear-plant-20130802-2r44p.html#ixzz2awihmRlU

August 3, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Resources -audiovicual