Alison Hsiao28 May 19

After years of battling in the legislature and on the streets, a watershed ruling by the Constitutional Court and referenda victories by conservatives, a middle-ground bill was finally passed by the Legislative Yuan on May 17 giving same-sex couples most, though not all, of the same rights as heterosexual couples. But the campaign isn’t over, not for those who oppose marriage equality, and not for members of the LGBTQ community who argue that there is still room for improvement. Alison Hsiao walks us through the issue.   More than 500 Taiwanese same-sex couples registered their marriage on May 24, two […]

Olivia Yang28 Jan 19

Three leaders talk about the importance of building a culture of communication to counter intolerance, conservatism and radicalism. Olivia Yang reports. “Justice will never be an accomplished state. As long as there are individuals and people on this earth, there would always be conflicts. Justice and a world equal for all will always be an elusive state. But humanity progresses. It is almost like a dance as old as time. Two steps ahead, one step back. Sometimes one step ahead and two steps back.” Thus spoke Alissa Wahid at the 2018 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award (ADHRA) ceremony in […]

Alison Hsiao10 Jan 19

Many have attributed the results of the November 2018 municipal elections, in which the ruling Democratic Progressive Party suffered a major setback, to the referenda that were held concurrently with the vote. Evidence, however, suggests otherwise. Alison Hsiao delves into recent research on the subject.   With the opposition Nationalist Chinese Party (KMT) bagging 15 of 22 local government mayoral positions in the Nov. 24, 2018, nine-in-one elections — an increase of nine-cities/counties from the November 2014 elections which turned “green land to blue sky,” as local media described the outcome — many have concluded that this was a victory […]

Alison Hsiao22 Nov 18

Taiwanese voters will be asked on Nov. 24 to make a call on a series of questions pertaining to same-sex marriage in Taiwan. Convoluted language, misplaced expectations and the government’s middle-ground approach could cause problems down the road. Alison Hsiao looks into the matter.   On May 24, 2017, the Constitutional Court ruled that the Civil Code provisions prohibiting marriage between two people of the same sex are in violation of the Constitution that guarantees people’s freedom of marriage and right to equality. The landmark ruling also stated that the concerned authorities (i.e., the Legislative Yuan) shall amend the relevant […]

Alison Hsiao02 Nov 18

More and more, democracies are beginning to identify the means and objectives of authoritarian disinformation. Such cooperation is essential, as anti-democratic forces are learning from each other and continually improving their tactics. Alison Hsiao reports on a recent bilateral initiative between Taiwan and the U.S.    Goethe once said, “The truth must be repeated again and again because error is constantly being preached round about us. And not only by isolated individuals but by the majority.” More than two centuries later, the admonition is more relevant than ever, and was quoted by Taiwan Foundation for Democracy Chairman and Legislative Speaker […]

Alison Hsiao25 Oct 18

Fake news have successfully penetrated democratic societies due in part to public complacency, the explosion of social media, and deficiencies in the media environment. New measures to counter disinformation spread by anti-democratic forces are being mooted by governments, but it will be a long time yet before the effects of this new assault on reality can be properly mitigated. Alison Hsiao discusses recent developments in Taiwan.   Most Taiwanese are familiar with the joke in which a Taiwanese celebrates the fact that he or she is free to comment on politics and to lambaste the Taiwanese president — and the […]

Alison Hsiao17 Aug 18

A survey released earlier this year shows strong opposition to unification and a firm commitment to defending the nation against external aggression. But an image problem with the armed forces has undermined recruitment efforts. Alison Hsiao analyzes the situation.   A new survey shows that young Taiwanese are committed to democratic values and defending Taiwan, findings that fly in the face of trends in democratic discontent in the West and a long-held belief that Taiwanese either expect the U.S. to fight for them or have no will to stand up to Chinese military aggression. The survey, conducted by the Election […]

Alison Hsiao14 Feb 18

Recent amendments to the Referendum Act and the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act have taken Taiwan one step closer to achieving direct democracy. Alison Hsiao explains the changes made to the former and shows why some issues remain off-limit.   Direct democracy has made strides in Taiwan in the past year, with significant changes made by recent amendments to the Referendum Act (公民投票法) and the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法). By this process, both acts saw the thresholds lowered and technical barriers removed or lessened, which has garnered applause but also created new challenges. Referendum Act in […]