Kuomintang chairmanship election, 2001

Kuomintang chairmanship election, 2001
24 March 2001
Turnout 57.9%
 
Nominee Lien Chan
Popular vote 521,712
Percentage 97.09%
Chairman before election

Lien Chan

 Elected Chairman

Lien Chan

The Kuomintang chairmanship election of 2001 (Chinese: 2001年中國國民黨主席補選) was held on 24 March 2001 in Taiwan. This was the first direct party leadership election in Kuomintang history in which all registered, due-paying party members were eligible to vote. In previous elections, only 2,000 high-ranking members could cast votes.

History

Lee Teng-hui had assumed the presidency and Kuomintang chairmanship in 1988, after the death of Chiang Ching-kuo. With the help of Lien Chan, Lee had withstood a challenge to his leadership in 1997, shortly after the Kuomintang lost that year's local elections handily.[1] In 2000, the Kuomintang lost the presidential election to Democratic Progressive Party candidate Chen Shui-bian, and discontent over Lee's leadership had again broken out.[2] He planned to resign the chairmanship in September,[3] but eventually submitted his resignation on 24 March,[4] after days of speculation and protest.[5] Lien Chan succeeded Lee as chairman in June.[6] The first direct leadership election was scheduled for 24 March 2001. In previous elections, only 2,000 party representatives could vote for the office.[7]

Election

Lien Chan registered for the election on 9 February 2001,[8] and ran unopposed, as Tuan Hung-chun was declared ineligible.[6] Lien was required to gather a petition of three percent of the party membership to validate his candidacy.[6] He garnered 521,712 of 537,370 votes in the election itself, at a time when the Kuomintang had a eligible voter count of 928,175.[9] Lien won 97.09% of all votes cast, a record that would stand until 2015, when Eric Chu was elected.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Liu, Weiling (12 December 1997). "Lee's party chairmanship unshaken". Taiwan Today. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  2. ↑ "Protesters Denounce Taiwan President". Los Angeles Times. 21 March 2000. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  3. ↑ Chu, Henry (23 March 2000). "Taiwan's Lee Reportedly Quitting Party Post Now". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "President Resigns as Party Leader". Los Angeles Times. 24 March 2000. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  5. ↑ Chu, Henry (20 March 2000). "Outgoing Taiwan Leader to Quit as Head of Party". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 Lin, Chieh-yu (24 March 2001). "Lien gears up for polls". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  7. ↑ Huang, Joyce (30 January 2001). "KMT membership drive wraps up after five months". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "Lien Chan registers candidacy for KMT chairmanship". Kyodo News. 9 February 2001. Retrieved 14 May 2016 – via The Free Library.
  9. ↑ Lin, Chieh-yu (25 March 2001). "No surprise as Lien wins election". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  10. ↑ Shih, Hsiu-chuan (18 January 2015). "KMT elects Eric Chu as chairman". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
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