Taiwan News
Date: 2016-03-18
By: Chia Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
Kuomintang legislator Lu Shiow-yen said Friday that the proposal to amend the Constitution 
to lower the voting age has successfully garnered wide cross-party support, adding that it has become the first proposal to be sent to the new legislative body since the election in January.
After the Sunflower Movement, Taiwanese youth has demonstrated its capacity for independent thinking as well as the ability to act, which made the voting age amendment draft a much more compelling issue, said Lu during her press conference.
Lu added that it is unfair for young men aged between 18 and 20 that the current Constitution requires them to perform military service while not allowing them the right to vote.
Based on the legislative process, said Lu, the proposal will be sent to the Procedure Committee next Tuesday, and if all goes well it will go through the first reading next Friday at the soonest.
The process to amend the Constitution includes the approval of an amendment proposal by three-quarters of the quorum of members of the Legislative Yuan. After passing the Legislature, the amendments need ratification in a referendum by at least 50 percent of all eligible voters of Taiwan irrespective of voter turnout. [FULL STORY]
