A group of students demonstrated outside the Legislative Yuan yesterday, demanding that they be given the right to run for public office.
Under current election rules, students are barred from running for public office. Students protested against the rule yesterday -- the last day of the legislative session before lawmakers break for the campaign season.
Some of the students had signed up to run in the Dec. 1 elections, but were denied the chance to do so by the Taipei City branch of the Central Election Commission.
Under the Public Officials Election and Recall Law, students, military personnel, police and election administrators are not allowed to run for public office.
But some consider the rule a violation of students' rights. Under the Constitution, citizens over 23 years old may run for public office.
"Our main purpose in this campaign is to show how regulations in Taiwan violate citizens' rights," said Hsu Chia-ching (
Hsu noted that many incumbent public officials return to college to continue their education and are allowed to register as candidates. That situation is no different from a student who seeks public office, Hsu said.
The Civil Affairs Department under the Ministry of the Interior revised the rule barring students at the end of last year.
But the change has been waiting passage in the legislature since then. Students fear the revision won't be passed any time soon.
The Civil Affairs Department has also said its has no idea when the change will be passed into law.
But the students are not waiting for the legislature to take action. They also plan to petition the Council of Grand Justices, seeking a constitutional interpretation on whether they can be barred from seeking public office.
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