The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed an amendment to the Referendum Act (公民投票法), stipulating that referendums and national elections would be held simultaneously if their time frames coincide.
Referendums were first coupled with national elections in 2017, but the legislature in June 2019 passed an amendment to the act to decouple referendums from elections. That amendment stipulated that referendums are to be held on the fourth Saturday of August once every two years, starting in 2021.
The new amendment states that referendums should be held within three to six months after a proposed referendum is officially announced, and that if there is a national election during that time, the two would be held on the same day.
Photo: CNA
The amendment also states that the day of the referendum voting should be a public holiday.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡) said Taiwanese in 2021 voted in a referendum that they did not want referendums coupled with national elections.
The opposition parties are ignoring public will and should shoulder all responsibility if their decision results in chaos during elections, he said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus secretary-general Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said they were helping DPP founders realize their goal of coupling referendums with national elections, adding that the changes were a “lesson” for the modern-day DPP, which has betrayed the vision of its founders.
In related news, the legislature yesterday passed the third reading of amendments to the Local Government Act (地方制度法), reducing the nationwide cap on the number of deputy mayors. It would be implemented starting on Jan. 1 next year.
Current regulations state that special municipalities should have two deputy mayors, and if their population exceeds 2.5 million, the municipal government can appoint one additional deputy mayor. Meanwhile, counties and cities must have one deputy mayor or deputy commissioner, and if the population is more than 1.25 million, they can appoint an additional deputy.
The amended version yesterday removed the restrictions and states that special municipalities would, upon promulgation, have three deputy mayors, while counties and cities could appoint two deputy mayors and deputy commissioners.
It also changed the gender requirements to having one reserved seat for special municipality councilors, city or county councilors; or township representatives numbering three or above — down from one reserved seat for every four — and said one additional reserved seat should be made available for every three people in addition to the original three.
Councilors assuming office on or after Dec. 25, 2030, would benefit from the amendment.
DPP Secretary-General Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) said the amendments were tailor-made for Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), as Taipei’s population had dropped to 2.45 million as of July, and Taipei would not be able to appoint a replacement for incumbent Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Si-chuan (李四川) should he resign to campaign for New Taipei City mayor next year.
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