Premier Yu Shyi-kun yesterday expressed support for proposed measures to lower the voting age and install a system for absentee ballots.
Wary of potential controversy, he suggested an incremental approach when seeking to realize these moves, however.
"I agree to lowering the voting age to 18 from 20 to allow students to take part in politics," Yu said in response to questions from KMT Legislator Huang Teh-fu (
If put into effect, the proposal may increase the number of eligible voters by up to 800,000, many of whom favor DPP candidates, polls show.
The premier said that he found existing rules that deny students the right to seek elected office "unreasonable," recalling that in 1978 he was expelled by National Chungshing University for taking part in an election campaign.
Intended to free educational institutions from possible political interference, the same rules do not bar government officials, whether appointed or elected, from seeking education, however.
Huang, also a political scientist at National Chengchi University, panned the electoral codes as nonsensical.
The premier partly agreed, noting that, over the years, some candidates have had to quit school and later apply for admission after winning elections.
He also gave his approval to a KMT proposal whereby people do not have to return to their registered addresses to exercise their right to vote.
The main opposition party has said absentee voting would help protect the rights of overseas businessmen who cannot come home to vote because of their physical condition, work, studies or high transport costs.
The KMT estimates that 800,000 Taiwanese businessmen and their relatives living in China would benefit from such a measure.
Yu said he is receptive to the suggested changes but declined to promise that the measures will be put into effect in time for the year-end elections for Taipei and Kaohsiung mayor.
"It is better to seek consensus before taking any action to avoid antagonizing rival parties," the premier said.
On Thursday, Huang published an opinion poll showing that nearly 65 percent of respondents endorse the absentee-voting measure.
With Taiwan becoming more urbanized and modernized, people have increasingly opted to leave their hometowns to work in the cities. Their places of residence are not necessarily where their households are registered. To come home to vote, these people have to spend time and money on the journey.
Of the 15 million eligible voters for the 2000 presidential election, 2.3 million, or 15 percent, did not live at their registered address.
Greenpeace yesterday said that it is to appeal a decision last month by the Taipei High Administrative Court to dismiss its 2021 lawsuit against the Ministry of Economic Affairs over “loose” regulations governing major corporate electricity consumers. The climate-related lawsuit — the first of its kind in Taiwan — sought to require the government to enforce higher green energy thresholds on major corporations to reduce emissions in light of climate change and an uptick in extreme weather. The suit, filed by Greenpeace East Asia, the Environmental Jurists Association and four individual plaintiffs, was dismissed on May 8 following four years of litigation. The
STAY AWAY: An official said people should avoid disturbing snakes, as most do not actively attack humans, but would react defensively if threatened Taitung County authorities yesterday urged the public to stay vigilant and avoid disturbing snakes in the wild, following five reported snakebite cases in the county so far this year. Taitung County Fire Department secretary Lin Chien-cheng (林建誠) said two of the cases were in Donghe Township (東河) and involved the Taiwan habus, one person was bit by a Chinese pit viper near the South Link Railway and the remaining two were caused by unidentified snakes. He advised residents near fields to be cautious of snakes hiding in shady indoor areas, especially when entering or leaving their homes at night. In case of a
A tropical disturbance off the southeastern coast of the Philippines might become the first typhoon of the western Pacific typhoon season, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The system lacks a visible center and how it would develop is only likely to become clear on Sunday or Monday, the CWA said, adding that it was not yet possible to forecast the potential typhoon's effect on Taiwan. The American Meteorological Society defines a tropical disturbance as a system made up of showers and thunderstorms that lasts for at least 24 hours and does not have closed wind circulation.
DIPLOMACY: It is Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo’s first visit to Taiwan since he took office last year, while Eswatini’s foreign minister is also paying a visit A delegation led by Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo arrived in Taiwan yesterday afternoon and is to visit President William Lai (賴清德) today. The delegation arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 4:55pm, and was greeted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). It is Arevalo’s first trip to Taiwan since he took office last year, and following the visit, he is to travel to Japan to celebrate the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Arevalo said at the airport that he is very glad to make the visit to Taiwan, adding that he brings an important message of responsibility
RSS