Legislative reform will be the single most important issue after Saturday's polls and a referendum could be used to ensure it gets top priority, President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen said yesterday that more than 80 percent of the public supports measures such as halving the number of legislative seats and creating single-member electoral districts.
Other ideas include lengthening the terms of lawmakers from three years to four and having legislative and presidential elections fall in the same year.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE
And if the KMT and New Party don't back the proposed reforms, Chen said, he would take the issue directly to the public through a referendum.
"If reform becomes a nationwide movement, then no individual or political party can say `no' to this trend," Chen said. "If there is any political party opposing [the reforms], we'll have no choice but" to resort to a referendum.
Currently, Taiwan lacks a public referendum law that would allow voters to decide public policy issues directly.
Though the KMT and New Party have yet to announce their stance on proposed legislative reforms, the two parties should heed public opinion, Chen said.
"The threshold for a constitutional amendment is very high, requiring the consent of three-fourths of the lawmakers present," the president said.
"If these two political parties reject reforms, then a referendum law -- the passage of which would only require half of the lawmakers present -- would have to go ahead first."
Asked about his proposed "cross-party alliance for national stabilization," Chen said the group would be a "decision-making mechanism" of 120 members that would include members from each political party. "But these 120 people will elect representatives, who will be engaged in collective decision-making."
"As for myself, I will not play any role, but focus on performing my presidential duties," Chen said. "But this alliance can make proposals on a variety of issues, for example, nominations for premier and the Cabinet or even the new speaker of the Legislative Yuan."
Asked for his opinion on former president Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) proposed "Taiwan Advocates" (群策會) group, Chen said he would back any organization that assists the nation's development and brings stability to its politics. Chen also plans to attend the group's founding ceremony on Monday.
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