TSU working on draft of a new Taiwan constitution

The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) yesterday announced that it has begun drafting a new constitution.

The draft will be presented by the end of this month as a test of the government's sincerity in pushing for a new or amended constitution, TSU Legislator and Secretary-General Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) said.

Lo said the proposed draft is a response to President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) remarks in his New Year's Day address, in which he said he welcomes a civil movement in favor of amending the Constitution.

In his New Year's address, the president also said that if conditions in Taiwan's society were sufficiently mature, it would not be impossible to hold a referendum on a new constitution next year.

In response to this statement, Lo said that since according to the Referendum Law (公投法) the people of Taiwan do not have the right to initiate a referendum, Chen should back up his talk about a new Constitution by changing the law.

His party is discussing a draft for a new Taiwan constitution with people from different sectors, Lo said.

Saying that he hopes the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will also present a version of a new Constitution and submit it for discussion, Lo expressed the hope that the discussion would be completed by the end of the year and that it would result in a constitutional referendum some time next year.