Critics blast KMT referendum proposals on death penalty and martial law

Critics blast KMT referendum proposals on death penalty and martial law

2025-03-21

Critics are blasting the KMT for two referendum proposals that the party put forward on Friday. The first proposal is asking for a vote against the abolition of the death penalty. The second calls for a vote to end “martial law” in Taiwan and is a reaction to President Lai Ching-te’s recent proposal to reinstate military trials. Critics say that neither of the referendums makes sense, as the death penalty is still legal in Taiwan, and the country is not under martial law.

DPP lawmakers rush back to cast their vote, to oppose two referendums proposed by the KMT. The first referendum aims to stop the abolition of the death penalty in Taiwan. The second aims to stop what the KMT claims is a trend toward martial law led by the DPP government.

Wu Tsung-hsien
Lawmaker (KMT)
The death penalty has essentially been declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court. The court overstepped its authority, and weaponized unanimous consent to prevent individual judges from independently making rulings on the matter in the future.

Lai Jui-lung
Lawmaker (DPP)
There is no such problem as the abolition of the death penalty in Taiwan. The death penalty is still being executed, it’s a fake issue. It’s a fabrication created by the KMT to influence the people’s right to recalls.

The KMT claims it is trying to protect Taiwan’s democracy. But critics say, the party is trying to draw attention away from the many recalls initiated against KMT politicians. Premier Cho Jung-tai says neither of the issues brought up in the referendum proposals currently affect Taiwanese society.

Cho Jung-tai
Premier
Neither of these two issues are a thing. I’ve said it before. Do the proponents of the referendums think Taiwan is under martial law now?

Lee Chin-yung
Central Election Commission
The government doesn’t have policies. Proposing a referendum asking the government to stop doing something it is not doing doesn’t make sense. Even if the referendum passes, it wouldn’t have any effect under Article 30 of the Referendum Act.

Critics say the proposals are trying to create solutions for problems that don’t exist, and election officials say that even if they pass, they won’t have any effect. Still, the KMT is making a big fuss over its proposals.

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藍推反戒嚴反廢死公投擬逕付二讀卓揆:請適可而止

2025-03-21

國民黨立院黨團，今天(21)將提案發起反廢死、反戒嚴公投，讓行政院長卓榮泰質疑，死刑在台灣合憲，台灣也不是戒嚴社會，難道提案的政黨認為，台灣現在是戒嚴嗎？中選會主委李進勇也表示，本來就沒有的政策，卻要求不要做，邏輯自相矛盾，就算通過，也沒效力。

一聽到開始表決，民進黨立院黨團，火速奔回位置上投票，反對國民黨提的反廢死、反戒嚴公投。

[[立委(國) 吳宗憲]]
“我們的死刑本身，實質上已經被大法官宣判了死刑，他踰越了自己的權限，加入了一致決的概念在裡面，導致將來法官沒辦法獨立審判，去做出適當的判決”

[[立委(民) 賴瑞隆]]
“台灣沒有廢死的問題，死刑確實是在執行，所以這部分是假議題，是國民黨為了要影響人民罷免權，而故意製造出來的假議題”

國民黨提案反廢死、反戒嚴兩項公投，聲稱是為了守護台灣民主，不過，外界認為，藍營是在挽救大罷免危機。因為廢死和戒嚴，在現今的台灣社會，根本不存在。

[[行政院長卓榮泰]]
“這兩件事情的不存在，日前我已經說過了，難道提案的政黨認為，台灣現在是戒嚴嗎”

[[中選會主委李進勇]]
“現在政府沒有的政策，提起公投要求政府不要做，邏輯似乎有自相矛盾的狀況，公投有結果的話，也沒有辦法按照公投法第30條規定，來發生效力”

本來就沒有的政策，卻要提案公投，就算提案通過，也沒有效力。藍營大費周章，葫蘆裡賣的是甚麼藥？他們自己最清楚。

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