DPP Supports Direct Democracy Initiatives Amid Ongoing Referendums

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is actively supporting civic groups in their efforts to promote direct democracy through referendum initiatives in Taiwan. Chung Chia-pin, the DPP caucus chief executive, expressed his endorsement of various signature drives aimed at amending key legislative processes related to the Constitutional Court and civil servant elections.

The civic organization known as People as Masters has taken the lead in proposing referendums to repeal amendments to the Constitutional Court Procedure Act and the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act. These referendum efforts began with signature collection campaigns that commenced in late July and late September, respectively, and will continue until late January and late March 2024.

One of the central proposals seeks to eliminate the requirement for a minimum number of justices to participate in Constitutional Court proceedings. Currently, the amendments mandate that at least ten justices must deliberate, with a minimum of nine needed to make a ruling of unconstitutionality. As it stands, the court has only eight justices. The amendments were enacted by the legislature on December 20, 2022, after which President William Lai nominated seven candidates for justices, all of whom were rejected by the legislature, where the opposition holds a majority.

The referendum spearheaded by Chao Wei-cheng asks citizens whether they oppose these amendments and support their repeal. Additionally, proposals targeting the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act aim to remove the requirement of attaching ID card photocopies when initiating a recall and collecting signatures, as well as repealing penalties for misusing personal data during these processes.

Taiwan’s current initiatives also mark a significant shift towards electronic signature collection for referendums. This novel approach requires participants to obtain a physical Citizen Digital Certificate and use a computer card reader to sign the petitions. Following the introduction of this method, applications for the certificate surged, with the Ministry of the Interior reporting an increase of 11,400 applications—an astonishing 115 percent rise within a week after a legislative amendment passed on November 21, 2023.

Chung emphasized the importance of public oversight in the legislative process, stating, “When representative democracy fails, people naturally step forward to exercise direct democracy, including referendums.” He acknowledged that the DPP caucus would not initiate these referendums but would support civic groups in their endeavors.

In response to the ongoing signature drives, DPP local councilors have begun assisting with signature collection efforts. Chung also revealed plans for the DPP to meet with civic groups to discuss the referendum initiatives further.

DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu remarked on the significance of the referendum concerning the Constitutional Court Procedure Act amendments. He stated, “I even believe the DPP should proactively assist, because the KMT–TPP bloc has used this law to paralyze the Constitutional Court, throwing the nation’s constitutional operations into serious crisis.”

As Taiwan’s political landscape continues to evolve, these referendum initiatives represent a critical moment for civic engagement and direct democracy in the country. The outcomes of these efforts could have profound implications for the legislative process and the functioning of the Constitutional Court in Taiwan.