Location Taiwan No 352,359 Start date March 22, 2008 | Yes 5,529,230 Valid votes 5,881,589 | |
5,529,230 7001940100000000000♠94.01% 352,359 7000599000000000000♠5.99% | ||
Two referendums on United Nations membership applications were held in Taiwan on March 22, 2008, the same day as the presidential elections.
Contents
The first referendum question, supported by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of President Chen Shui-bian, asked whether voters agree that the government should seek United Nations membership under the name "Taiwan". The second referendum question, supported by the Kuomintang (KMT), which on the same day won the presidential election, asked whether voters supported "our nation" seek to "return" to the United Nations and join other international organisations under "flexible and practical strategies", including joining as "Republic of China", "Taiwan", or any other name that aids success and national dignity.
The Central Election Commission has declared both referendums invalid due to low turnout. The presidential election held at the same time had a turn out rate at 76.33%.
Politics
The format of the referendums has been controversial, with much of the discussion occurring before the transitional justice referendum held in January 2008.
Note that while the two referendums are each supported by one of the two major parties in Taiwan, they both stand formally as voter-initiated, rather than government-sponsored, referendums. Furthermore, while the KMT initiated one of the two referendums, it has encouraged its voters to at least boycott the DPP-initiated referendum, and expressed its understanding if supporters chose to boycott both referendums. In practice, while KMT officials such as presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou and chairman Wu Po-hsiung received ballot papers for the KMT-sponsored referendum, their family and other KMT officials, such as chairman emeritus Lien Chan refused to take ballot papers for either referendum. Former president Lee Teng-hui did not take either ballot paper, which he said was because he "forgot" to bring the documentation, although reporters at the scene pointed out to him that he did not need documentation to vote. The low number of voters participating in the referendums meant that neither reached the minimum threshold of participation by 50% of all eligible voters to become effective. DPP officials, including president Chen Shui-bian, called on voters to vote in both referendums.
Questions and results
Both results were rendered void since turnout were below the minimum requirement of 50% of registered voters. Note that English translations shown are not official.
Proposal 5
National Referendum Proposal No. 5 was first initiated by You Si-kun (Yu Shyi-kun), former Premier of Taiwan and former chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party. The topic was "Application to become a new member of the United Nations under the name “Taiwan”"
Proposal 6
National Referendum Proposal No. 6 was first initiated by Vincent Siew, former Premier of Taiwan and current Vice President-elect.