Legislature progresses revision to election and recall law
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Loading... - Touki Yuma
- 15 Jul 2024
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Opposition lawmakers on Friday leveraged their majority in the Legislature to advance a proposed amendment to the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, directly to a second reading. This amendment aims to tighten the requirements for the recall of elected officials.
Key Provisions of the Amendment
ID Copy Requirement: Petition signatories in a recall drive must submit copies of the front and back of their national identification cards. This measure aims to prevent fraud.
Penalties for Fraud: Those caught faking a signature by signing on behalf of someone else could face a jail sentence of up to five years, detention, or a fine of up to NT$1 million (US$30,732).
Additional ID Information: Signatories must include the date of issue of their national ID card in the petition. Failure to do so will result in their signature being deemed void by the election commission reviewing the petition.
Legislative Action
The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) utilized their majority to push the recall bill amendment to a second reading with a 60-51 vote.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers protested the amendments, holding placards and characterizing the proposed changes as an attack on civil rights.
This proposed amendment has sparked significant debate, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the ruling and opposition parties regarding electoral and recall processes in Taiwan.
