FIRM BACKING:DPP Legislator Chen Chi-mai said past efforts to introduce reforms through the legislature had failed, adding that he supports the coalition’s proposals
Taipei Times
Date: Mar 16, 2016
By: Chang Hsiao-ti and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer
Civic groups plan to push for “bottom-up” constitutional reforms and prepare
Members of the Civil Alliance to Promote Constitutional Reform yesterday hold up signs at a news conference in Taipei, urging president-elect Tsai Ing-wen to fulfill her pledge on constitutional reform. Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
constitutional amendment proposals for referendums by 2018, the Civic Alliance to Promote Constitutional Reform said yesterday.
The alliance, which was formed in 2014, told a news conference that its efforts would focus on two issues — lowering the voting age and reducing the threshold of the minimum percentage of votes a party must receive to be apportioned legislator-at-large seats.
According to the alliance, members of the public and legislators are to be jointly involved in the drafting of constitutional amendment proposals, which are to be submitted to popular referendum to coincide with the 2018 local elections for county commissioners and city mayors.
The drafting process is to be split into three stages: research, consultation and deliberation, the alliance said. [FULL STORY]
