Taipei: Michael You, the newly appointed chairperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC), outlined the agency's key priorities on Monday, focusing on upcoming elections, referendum procedures, and the political rights of naturalized Chinese spouses in Taiwan.
According to Focus Taiwan, You expressed gratitude towards President Lai Ching-te and Premier Cho Jung-tai for their support during the handover ceremony. He committed to leading the CEC as a neutral, fair, objective, and professional entity. The CEC chair can serve a maximum of two four-year terms, and You emphasized that overseeing the local elections scheduled for November 2026 and the presidential election in 2028 would be his main tasks. With the local elections only seven months away, he acknowledged the need for accelerated preparation.
You addressed several ongoing issues, notably the political rights of naturalized Chinese spouses in Taiwan. He highlighted the recent case of Li Chen-hsiu, who lost her legislative seat after expulsion from the Taiwan People's Party, as indicative of potential future controversies unless constitutional and legal ambiguities are resolved. He criticized the reliance on the Nationality Act, describing it as "far-fetched" and "highly controversial."
Following the ceremony, You spoke to reporters about the legal gaps exposed by Li's case, urging authorities to establish clearer standards for the CEC's candidate review process. On referendums, he stressed the need for cautious handling of proposals from the Legislative Yuan, given the CEC's role as the competent authority. He referenced the rejection of a death penalty referendum proposal in May 2025, noting the contentious nature of the commission's authority in such matters.
You stated that while no law mandates the CEC to accept all legislative referendum proposals, the general principle should favor approval, with rejections being exceptions. He also discussed the complexities involved in implementing absentee voting, describing it as a progressive concept but challenging to execute in major elections. He suggested that referendums could serve as a testing ground for absentee voting.
You identified additional challenges, including combating AI-generated disinformation and preventing external interference, particularly from China, in Taiwan's elections. Aged 69, You previously chaired the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation and resigned in March following his approval as CEC chair. A former member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, he left in 2019 after criticizing the separation of referendums from national elections. His nomination as CEC chair was approved by the Legislative Yuan in March, although three other commissioner candidates were rejected.