TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy (TYAD) called on all presidential candidates on Wednesday (Oct. 25) to directly address and clearly articulate their positions on issues that concern the youth.
During a press conference held to announce the release of the "2024 Youth Policy White Paper," TYAD, along with five other groups, posed questions to presidential candidates on six key issues: national defense, lowering the voting age to 18, housing justice, traffic safety, working conditions, and mental health.
TYAD President Chang Yu-meng stated that the association had sent the white paper to each presidential candidate the previous week, in the hope of receiving direct responses regarding the issues outlined in the document.
The white paper, developed after consultations with experts, scholars, and young individuals from various fields, is organized around three main pillars: enhancing national resilience, improving the social environment, and prioritizing youth concerns.
President of the National Student Union of Taiwan, Liu Yao-wei, questioned the candidates' stance on extending mandatory military service to one year and inquired whether they would consider altering the service duration if elected.
TYAD President Chang raised questions about each candidate's strategy for advocating the reduction of the voting age to 18.
Taiwan Labour Front Deputy Executive Secretary Yang Shu-wei urged the candidates to enhance working conditions, address low wages, and combat long working hours.
Researcher Liao Ting-hui from the Organization of Urban Re-s emphasized that the youth face significant challenges in obtaining housing and sought information on reforms related to housing taxes and rental regulations.
Wu Hsiang-yu, the founder of Penguin Traffic Notes (企鵝交通手札), highlighted the high mortality rates among youth due to traffic accidents and requested a review of traffic signage and the implementation of improved traffic education.
Finally, Li Ching-yin, Deputy Secretary-General of the Taiwan Counseling Psychologist Union, drew attention to the mental health issues within the youth community and called for greater involvement of professionals and the adoption of mental health days in schools.
The youth demographic is poised to play a pivotal role in the 2024 presidential election. According to the Ministry of the Interior, there are 4.49 million individuals aged between 20 and 34, constituting over 20% of the voting population. Furthermore, data from the Central Election Commission indicates that there are more than 1.02 million first-time voters.