KMT to seek referendums against death penalty abolition, 'martial law'

Taipei, March 17 (CNA) Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) on Monday said his party will launch a campaign to hold referendums opposing the abolition of the death penalty and what he alleged was a push toward martial law and war by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Chu announced the referendum campaigns at a press conference held with KMT lawmakers in front of the Legislative Yuan, saying Taiwan's democracy had reached a "critical moment" due to "destructive" actions by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and the DPP.

On the issue of the death penalty, Chu slammed a ruling issued by the Constitutional Court last year, which found the death penalty constitutional only for the "most serious" premeditated murders and crimes leading to death.

The result of the decision has been the "substantive abolition" of the death penalty in Taiwan, Chu claimed, adding that this has "prevented justice from being done."

Meanwhile, on the issue of national security, Chu said that because of "one person's decision" [referring to Lai], Taiwan had labeled China as a "foreign adversary" and pushed the sides into a dangerous situation of "quasi-war."

Chu was referring to a speech last week, in which Lai announced a range of planned measures to counter intensifying influence and infiltration campaigns conducted by China against Taiwan.

The measures proposed by Lai included restoring the military court system, monitoring Taiwanese civil servants who travel to China for exchanges, and stricter reviews of travel or residency applications by Chinese citizens.

Chu compared Lai's actions to those of a "dictator," saying they would introduce wide-ranging restrictions on people's thoughts, actions and freedom of speech.

He urged the public to support the campaigns, saying the referendum against the abolition of the death penalty would "return life to the people," while the "anti-martial law, anti-war" referendum would "return rights to the people."

Notably, KMT Legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said the referendums would be initiated in the Legislative Yuan, as opposed to the more common route of citizens initiating them through petition drives.

If the motions are passed in the Legislature, which the KMT controls with the help of the smaller Taiwan People's Party (TPP), referendums could be held on Aug. 23, 2025, the next date possible under the terms of the Referendum Act.

The launch of the referendum campaigns come as the KMT looks to recapture political momentum amid a campaign to initiate recall votes against over 30 KMT lawmakers.

Last week, for instance, the KMT announced that it would hold 100 "policy briefings" nationwide between March 20 and May 20, following the organization of eight similar events by the DPP.

Responding to the proposed referendums, DPP Legislative Caucus Convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) dismissed Chu's remarks as "lies on top of lies."

President Lai has already said that martial law could never be reimposed in Taiwan, and the Constitutional Court ruled that the death penalty was constitutional, Ker said, noting that Taiwan had carried out an execution earlier this year.