Youth Groups Urge Swift Negotiations to Set Implementation Date for 18-Year-Old Right to Vote Bill

(CNA reporter Hsu Chih-wei, Taipei, 8th) The Legislative Yuan's Internal Administration Committee passed the initial review of the "18-year-old right to vote" amendment on May 7 and referred it to party caucus negotiations. Youth groups issued a statement today, noting that the one-month cooling-off period has expired, and called on Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu and the three party caucuses to expedite negotiations and explicitly set an implementation date during the talks.

Youth organizations including the Taiwan Youth Thinktank, Taiwan Youth Generation Mutual Good Association, Taiwan Alliance for Advancement of Youth Rights and Welfare, National Students' Union of Taiwan, and EdYouth issued a press release stating their support for the legislature's "direct amendment" approach to realize the 18-year-old right to vote, with an initial wave of over 10 scholars and groups co-signing.

The youth groups pointed out that besides the consensus among the three major parties in the legislature, five other parties—the New Power Party, Taiwan Statebuilding Party, Social Democratic Party, Green Party Taiwan, and the Obasan Alliance for People's Political Participation—have also expressed support. This demonstrates a considerable social consensus for achieving the 18-year-old right to vote through direct amendment. However, they expressed concern that the initial review left the implementation date to be determined separately by the Executive Yuan.

The youth groups worry that if the Executive Yuan delays setting an effective date, the amendment could become an "unrealizable" empty promise. They argue that if the Executive Yuan were to further delay implementation citing supplementary resolutions or discussions in a constitutional amendment committee, it would effectively nullify the legislative achievement.

The youth groups also called on Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu and the three party caucuses to negotiate swiftly and to specify the implementation date during the negotiations, rather than leaving it to the Executive Yuan. They argue this would prevent delays in implementation, which could hinder the functioning of the constitutional mechanism and be detrimental to constitutional stability. (Editor: Kuan Chung-wei) 1150608