Taiwanese Citizens Find Direct Democracy Through Referendums in Public Policy Decisions

In addition to elections, referendums in Taiwan offer citizens another opportunity to participate directly in public decision-making. From major policy decisions to the review of laws, referendums allow "the people to exercise self-determination" to go beyond being just a slogan. However, referendums must meet clear institutional requirements in order to be carried out and pass.

What referendums can decide

Taiwan's national referendums apply to the review of laws, the creation of legislative principles, the creation or review of major policies, and others. Certain items are excluded from the scope of referendums, such as budget allocations, taxation, investments, salaries and personnel matters, in order to avoid disrupting the stability of national operations.

Proposal and signature thresholds

A referendum proposal must first be made by the proposer, and after crossing the proposal threshold, it proceeds to a second stage of signature collection, reaching a certain proportion of total voters to qualify as a referendum case. After qualifying as a case, the Central Election Commission shall announce it and submit to a national vote.

Passage standards

A referendum passes if there are "more affirmative votes than negative votes, and the affirmative votes constitute at least one-fourth of the total number of voters with voting rights." This one-fourth threshold is the key determinant of a referendum's success or failure.

Controversy over linking referendums with general elections

Whether to hold referendums on the same day as general elections has been a contentious issue in Taiwan's politics. Holding them on the same day can increase voter turnout and save costs, but it has also been questioned as to whether it will lead to issues being sidetracked. Relevant regulations have undergone revisions, reflecting the tug-of-war between the values underlying the system's design.