Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang is announcing new initiatives to connect with the public, including 100 policy briefings. It also called for referendums against the abolition of the death penalty and opposing martial law. The KMT says these referendums are in response to the massive civic-led recall campaigns endorsed by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00A massive civic recall movement now gaining strength with at least 34 opposition Kuomintang
00:11lawmakers seats on the line as recall motions reach the second petition stage.
00:17Campaigners now seeking the signatures of 10 percent of voters in each district to bring
00:21the motions to a vote. A prominent supporter of the recalls, former
00:25semiconductor magnate Robert Tsao, has called attention to the movement, standing with members
00:30of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and his Safeguard Taiwan anti-communist Volunteers
00:35League.
00:36This flurry of recall campaigns comes after nearly a year of partisan fighting in the
00:58legislature. The DPP has been facing off with the KMT and Third Force Taiwan People's Party,
01:04which have used their combined majority to pass bills. At the same time, efforts to oust
01:09DPP lawmakers have not made it past the first stage of the process.
01:13Now the KMT announcing a new initiative to win public support, holding 100 policy briefings
01:19over the next two months. The party says it's in response to the recall efforts, which it
01:24says is endorsed by the DPP. It's also proposing referendums questioning
01:28the abolition of the death penalty and opposing martial law.
01:32This after President Lai Ching-teh called for the return of military tribunals, a response
01:37to an uptick in cases of enlisted and former officers spying for China. The legislature
01:43would first have to approve any amendments to relevant laws.
02:01But the DPP says these claims are unfounded and that there is no martial law. On the death
02:06penalty, Taiwan's top court ruled last year that it is constitutional, but limited its
02:11scope.
02:20Whether through recall petitions or referendum votes, both the ruling and opposition parties
02:25are urging the public to make their voices heard, to help settle their differences once
02:30and for all.
02:31John Su and Tiffany Wong for Taiwan Plus.