A cross-caucus negotiation on amendments to the Civil Code to legalize same-sex marriage broke down yesterday, as civic groups and religious organizations protested against changes to laws.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yu Mei-nu (尤美女), in her role as a member of the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee, called for cross-caucus negotiation on her version of a draft bill to amend articles in the Civil Code to legalize same-sex marriage in the wake last week’s ruling by the Council of Grand Justices.
“This draft has been deliberated over and was approved for its first committee reading in December last year,” she said.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
“Now, six months later, we have the Council of Grand Justices’ constitutional interpretation. We have to push ahead and make progress on this draft bill,” she said.
However, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and People First Party (PFP) boycotted the negotiation and the session was adjourned.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) also urged fellow party members not to rush the process.
“We should wait until the Executive Yuan gives its version on how to proceed to amend the law on this issue. Yu’s version is not the same as the DPP caucus’, so she has to seek agreement from party caucus first,” Ker said.
However, Yu vowed to pass the draft bill in the next legislative session, and said she would continue to push for the bill’s passage by seeking for cross-party negotiation in the coming weeks.
Outside the Legislature Yuan, members from several groups and religious organizations staged a rally, where they protested against changes to the Civil Code, and demanded that the DPP dismiss Yu from her position as legislator-at-large.
“Most of us are parents with kids and we want to protect Taiwan’s traditional social structure and family values from destruction,” Taiwan Civic Rights Solidarity Organization spokesman Lin Shih-ming (林仕明) said.
“We are opposed to legislators meddling with the Civil Code, to change the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman. This is being done for some legislators’ own political agenda, but they have no support from the majority of society,” Lin said.
“People are angry because Yu is a legislator-at-large who has no support from constituents; she is appointed to her office by the DPP. We urge the DPP to dismiss her right now,” Lin said.
Protesters blew whistles to demonstrate their anger over Yu’s move to convene the cross-caucus negotiation and shouted: “Down with Yu Mei-nu,” “Amending the Civil Code will destroy society,” and “We demand a national referendum.”
“The DPP is moving too fast on same-sex marriage, but it has divided our society and many people with opposing views are not getting a fair hearing,” Association for Taiwan Social Stability spokesman Yu Hsin-yi (游信義) said.
“These legislators must not impose their personal views upon the whole of society, because there is no consensus on this issue,” Yu said.
“The Council of Grand Justices ruling was done by elites in the justice system who are out of touch with ordinary people. It was not a transparent process and there was behind-the-scene political manipulation,” he said.
After their demonstration outside the legislature, the protesters headed to the Control Yuan, where they submitted a request for an investigation into the Council of Grand Justices and other judicial bodies for what they said was “illegal conduct.”
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