Taiwan: Brawl breaks out in Parliament; MPs punch, kick, push each other

The Taiwanese Parliament on May 17 witnessed massive chaos after MPs punched, kicked, pushed and shoved each other.

The brawl was followed by a heated debate over a set of reforms.

According to media reports, the scuffle broke out when the Parliament was set to debate a proposal to give lawmakers more power to oversee the government's actions.

MPs snatched files and ran outside the Parliament, with many jumping over tables and others pulling colleagues to the floor. 

The brawl came days before president-elect Lai Ching-te will take office on May 20.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Kuomintang (KMT) were reportedly fighting over a new move that would criminalise officials who make false statements in parliament.

The debate got heated with members exchanging accusations and insults outside the chamber.

The formation of the new government is already under dispute, as Lai's DPP lost its majority in parliament despite winning the January elections.