Proposed amendments to the Civil Code that would lower the legal age of majority from 20 to 18, and set the minimum marriage age at 18 for men and women, on Wednesday passed a preliminary review by the Legislative Yuan’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee.
During the review, the Ministry of Justice said that there is a high degree of consensus locally and internationally for setting the age of majority at 18.
Young people become psychologically mature at a younger age, largely due to their exposure to technology and mass media, the ministry said.
Japan in 2018 lowered its age of majority from 20 to 18, the ministry said, adding that in Taiwan’s legal system, 18 is the minimum age of responsibility for criminal and administrative penalties.
The proposal was approved with cross-party support in the committee, although it must still pass second and third readings by the full legislature to become law.
At the hearing, lawmakers also advanced proposals to set the minimum engagement age at 17 and the minimum marriage age at 18, for men and women.
They also proposed to remove a clause that allows minors to marry with the consent of a legal guardian.
The existing law states that to be engaged, men must be 17 and women 15, while men must be 18 and women 16 to marry.
Amending the legal age of majority in the Civil Code would affect private rights and duties such as legal guardianship, inheritance and property ownership, but would not change the voting age, which is set at 20 in the Constitution.
In September, the Legislative Yuan set up an ad hoc Constitutional Amendment Committee, which is expected to review a proposal to lower the voting age to 18 during the current legislative session.
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