Small political parties and civic groups yesterday called for amendments to the Constitution and reform of the electoral system in a bid to ensure fair political participation and competition.
Representatives from the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), the Green Party Taiwan, the New Party, the People First Party (PFP), the Taiwan Association for Human Rights and Citizen’s Congress Watch attended a joint press conference in Taipei.
Citizen’s Congress Watch executive director Chang Hong-lin (張宏林) said Taiwan was entitled to a more diverse and active political system with its already diverse society and culture.
“Conventional wisdom argues that more seats for smaller parties would result in more chaotic situations in the legislature, but that is not correct,” Chang said.
Among the 11 political parties registered for Saturday’s legislative elections, the TSU and the PFP were the only ones — other than the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) — that passed the 5 percent threshold in the party vote in the legislative elections to become eligible to win legislator-at-large seats.
Chang said that, for instance, with 1.7 percent of the party votes, the Green Party Taiwan could have received an annual subsidy of NT$10 million (US$335,000) — which could be very helpful for the party’s development — if there weren’t a 5 percent threshold.
“The Green Party in Germany has become so strong because it has been receiving per vote subsidies from the government, and I think if the government lowered the threshold and helped smaller parties financially, it would help to make Taiwanese politics more diverse,” Chang said.
A total of 95 candidates from smaller parties failed to get their deposit of NT$20 million back for failing to pass the 5 percent threshold, while the KMT and the DPP received a total public subsidy of nearly NT$450 million, Taiwan Association for Human Rights vice president Lai Chung-chiang (賴中強) said, adding that this showed how the current electoral system “robs the poor to benefit the rich.”
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) has proposed reviewing the single-member district system, which has created imbalanced representation and marginalized smaller parties.
The group yesterday called for the legislature to form a committee to embark on electoral reform, adding that the legislature should also propose a constitutional amendment to lower the 5 percent threshold for a party to be awarded a legislator-at-large seat, to lower the threshold to receive public subsidies of between 5 percent to 3 percent, and to increase the number of legislator-at-large seats.
Other proposals put forward by the group that were unrelated to a constitutional amendment included replacing the right to register in elections by paying a deposit with a petition and the creation of a transparent process when parties purchase advertisements.
Lin Shih-chia (林世嘉), a TSU legislator ready to be sworn in on Feb. 1, said her party caucus would propose a constitutional amendment during the new legislative session.
“We’ll push for electoral reform in respect of Taiwan’s multiple values and voices,” she said.
Additional reporting by Loa Iok-sin
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
RSS