Euthanasia Referendum Lacks KMT Support; Ko Wen-je: Blue-White Alliance Is Cooperation, Not Merger

During the Legislative Yuan's vote on referendum proposals, the euthanasia referendum championed by the Taiwan People's Party failed to secure support from the Kuomintang (KMT), ultimately receiving only 7 votes in favor and drawing widespread attention to whether cracks are emerging in the Blue-White cooperation. Ko Wen-je, founding chairman of the Taiwan People's Party and former mayor of Taipei, stated on the 15th that 'the Blue-White alliance is cooperation, not merger,' emphasizing that each party maintains its autonomy and subjectivity, making it impossible to align on every issue.

On the 14th, the Legislative Yuan reviewed four referendum proposals. Three—dedicated use of traffic fine revenues, corporal punishment (flogging), and abolishing the nuclear-free homeland policy—passed. However, the euthanasia referendum proposed by the Taiwan People's Party was rejected with 7 votes in favor and 51 opposed, as the KMT abstained from voting and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) voted against it. Meanwhile, the KMT's flogging referendum narrowly passed 52 to 51, with all eight Taiwan People's Party legislators abstaining from voting.

When asked whether the lack of KMT support for the euthanasia referendum would affect future Blue-White cooperation, Ko Wen-je reiterated that 'the Blue-White alliance is cooperation, not merger,' and that each political party retains its own stance. He noted that it is natural for parties to hold differing positions on various issues. Citing former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Ko expressed his support for a political attitude of 'cooperate when possible, compete when necessary, and confront when required.'

Ko also highlighted internal divisions within his own party, using the flogging referendum as an example. Among the eight legislators from the Taiwan People's Party, four supported and four opposed the proposal. Despite extensive internal debate, 'no one convinced the other,' leading the party caucus to abstain from voting.

Regarding the future of Blue-White relations, Ko stressed that 'the Blue-White alliance remains a prevailing trend so far,' but acknowledged that two parties cannot agree on every single issue. He emphasized that cooperation must be based on mutual respect for each party's independence.

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