Breaking Free from Iron Cage Referendums: What Kind of Referendum System Do We Need？

Moderator: Professor Liu Yi-chou, Honorary Professor of the Department of Political Science at National Chengchi University

Panelists:

  • Professor Chen Chun-wen of the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs at National Taiwan University
  • Professor Yuu Ching-hsin of the Election Study Center at National Chengchi University
  • Mr. Huang Shi-hsiu, petitioner of the Nuclear Power Plant No. 4 Referendum
  • Mr. Liao Ying-kai, an editorial board member of Science Monthly and Executive Director of the Taiwan Science Media Association

 

 

The Referendum Act, which has been implemented since 2004, was ridiculed by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party as a “birdcage referendum” due to its high passage threshold. After the Democratic Progressive Party took power, in 2017, the Referendum Act was revised to significantly lower the threshold. However, due to the defeat of the Democratic Progressive Party-supported referendum in the 2018 local elections, the Referendum Act was revised again in 2019 to decouple referendums from elections and significantly restrict the people’s right to hold referendums. This year, Democratic Progressive Party legislators have proposed further amendments to the Referendum Act, attempting to completely kill off referendum results supported by most of the people by allowing a minority to veto the majority.

 

Citizen referendums are a manifestation of direct democracy that can both demonstrate the people’s sovereignty and make up for the shortcomings of representative democracy. However, after repeated revisions, the Referendum Act has changed from the original “birdcage referendum” to the more restrictive “iron cage referendum.” Is this the referendum system that the Taiwanese people expect?

 

Time: Saturday, November 27, 2021, 2:30 PM—4:30 PM

Venue: A646 Conference Room, 6F Exhibition A Building, Center for Public and Business Administration Education, National Chengchi University (No. 187, Jinhu St., Da’an Dist., Taipei City 106).

 

Main Organizer: Fair Winds Foundation

Co-Organizers: The Storm Media and United Daily News Vision Project

Contact: (02) 2752-1700.

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