| Election Name: | 2008 Democratic Progressive Party chairmanship election |
| Country: | Taiwan |
| Type: | presidential |
| Flag Image: | File:Green Island with White Cross.svg |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2006 Democratic Progressive Party chairmanship election |
| Previous Year: | 15 January 2006 |
| Next Election: | 2010 Democratic Progressive Party chairmanship election |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
| Election Date: | 18 May 2008 |
| Candidate1: | Tsai Ing-wen |
| Color1: | DC1651 |
| Popular Vote1: | 73,865 |
| Percentage1: | 57.1% |
| Candidate2: | Koo Kwang-ming |
| Color2: | 89A654 |
| Popular Vote2: | 48,882 |
| Percentage2: | 37.8% |
| Candidate3: | Chai Trong-rong |
| Color3: | 5D2971 |
| Popular Vote3: | 6,530 |
| Percentage3: | 5.1% |
| Map Size: | 300px |
| Chairman | |
| Before Election: | Chen Shui-bian |
| Posttitle: | Chairperson of DPP |
| After Election: | Tsai Ing-wen |
The 2008 Democratic Progressive Party chairmanship election took place on May 18, 2008. The election date was announced by chairperson Frank Hsieh after losing the presidential election.
Three members expressed their desire to run for the position:
Chai Trong-rong, first president of the World United Formosans for Independence and former legislator, announced his candidacy on April 14, 2008.[1] He withdrew from the election on May 12 and endorsed candidate Koo Kwang-ming.[2]
During Koo Kwang-ming's campaign, he made controversial remarks towards Tsai Ing-wen about the suitability of an unmarried woman leading. He then apologized to all women in Taiwan for those statements.[4]
| Endorsements | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Former faction | Political office | References | |
| Chai Trong-rong | Welfare State Alliance | Member of the Legislative Yuan | ||
| Chen Shih-meng | Secretary-General of the Presidential Office | [5] | ||
| Shieh Jhy-wey | N/A | Minister of the Government Information Office | ||
Tsai Ing-wen, former vice premier and former chairperson of the Mainland Affairs Council, won support from many local executives and decided to launch her campaign. She earned endorsements from Chiayi County magistrate Chen Ming-wen, Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chu, Tainan County magistrate Su Huan-chih, and Yunlin County magistrate Su Chih-fen.[6]
| Endorsements | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Former faction | Political office | References | |
| Chen Chu | New Tide | Mayor of Kaohsiung | [7] | |
| Chen Ming-wen | Justice Alliance | Magistrate of Chiayi County | N/A | |
| Su Huan-chih | Justice Alliance | Magistrate of Tainan County | ||
| Candidate | Total votes cast | Percentage of vote | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 73,865 | 57.1% | [8] | |
| 48,882 | 37.8% | ||
| 6,530 | 5.1% | ||
| Voter turnout | 51.1% | ||