The plan to hold a referendum opposing the abolition of the death penalty and martial law has passed its second reading. Ke Jianming argues that the meeting is invalid and will seek constitutional interpretation.
讀後心得
The Legislative Yuan will conduct a second reading on the referendum proposals against the abolition of the death penalty and against martial law, put forward by the Kuomintang group, on the 25th. After the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers left, Kuomintang lawmakers requested to continue the meeting, and ultimately passed the vote with a numerical advantage. The DPP expressed dissatisfaction, claiming that the vote was illegal and that it would request a constitutional interpretation. During the meeting, the DPP's floor leader, 柯建銘, was injured while protesting and has since gone to the hospital for treatment. The Kuomintang indicated that they would impose disciplinary actions against 柯建銘. Both of the proposed referendum texts involve the death penalty and cross-strait relations, with hopes for a national vote.
The Legislative Yuan continued to process the Kuomintang's proposal for a referendum against the abolition of the death penalty and the referendum against martial law on the 25th, moving directly to the second reading. Lawmakers from both sides continued to confront each other in the chamber. After the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers left the podium, KMT Chairman Han Kuo-yu was asked to continue the meeting. With the numerical advantage of the blue-white alliance, the KMT’s proposals for the referendums were approved to move directly to the second reading. The DPP's caucus leader stated in an interview afterwards that the vote at this session was illegal, claiming the meeting was invalid; even if the Legislative Yuan sent out the referendum proposals and the Central Election Commission accepted them, the DPP caucus would still seek constitutional interpretation and temporary injunctions.
That evening, during the Legislative Yuan meeting, DPP lawmakers, dissatisfied with the New Party's Deputy Secretary-General holding a legislative journalist certificate to enter the chamber for a live broadcast, occupied the podium to boycott the proceedings until around 6 PM. Seeing that KMT lawmakers did not mobilize to clear the chamber, they then left the chamber. At this time, KMT lawmakers immediately stood on the podium. Han Kuo-yu entered the chamber at 7:20 PM and announced the continuation of the meeting. The People’s Party caucus also entered the chamber shortly thereafter to show support. Han stated from the podium that the arrangement of this meeting complied with legal regulations. The DPP caucus raised slogans declaring "illegal meeting, meeting invalid" and continued to protest.
During the voting process, KMT lawmakers took turns returning to their seats to press the voting devices while DPP lawmakers chose to abstain from voting. Ultimately, with the advantage of the blue-white alliance, the KMT’s proposals for the referendums against the abolition of the death penalty and against martial law moved directly to the second reading, with the KMT caucus responsible for convening cross-party consultations.
Afterwards, Ke Chien-Ming stated that the opposition party continued the meeting under Rule 22 of the Legislative Yuan's rules, criticizing the voting at this meeting as fundamentally illegal, and emphasized that the meeting was invalid. Even if the referendum proposals were sent out, they would seek a legal interpretation and other measures. Besides the actions of KMT lawmakers gradually annoying the DPP caucus, Ke Chien-Ming was also injured on his hand due to the conflict arising from the protests during the meeting, and he would subsequently file a lawsuit.
Regarding the referendum against the abolition of the death penalty, the main text is proposed as "Do you agree that judges on collegial benches in all levels of courts do not need to reach a unanimous decision to impose the death penalty?" The proposed text for the anti-martial law referendum is "President Lai Ching-te has designated the other side as an external hostile force, raising concerns among the people that cross-strait relations are entering a quasi-war state. Do you agree that the government should avoid war and prevent Taiwan from becoming a Ukraine under military martial law, where young people lose their lives and homes are destroyed?"