# Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party

The chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party is the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The incumbent chairman is Lai Ching-te, elected in January 2023.

## Chairmanship

In the early days of the DPP, the tenure of chairman was only one year. It was extended to two years in around 1990.
After amendments to the constitution of the DPP in 2000, the incumbent President of the Republic of China, if whom is a member of the Party, shall be the chairperson of the DPP upon assuming office and until the end of the tenure. When in opposition, the chairman shall be directly elected by members of the DPP with a two-year term of office, renewable once.
When vacancy of chairmanship occurs and that the remaining term of office is within a year, the Central Committee shall elect a new chair amongst themselves. Otherwise, a by-election shall be held for party members to elect a successor. Before the amendments to the constitution, the vice-chairperson shall be acting chairman during vacancy.

## List

denotes interim chairman
| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Mandate | Party session | Notes |
| 1 | Chiang Peng-chien | 28 November 1986 | 20 December 1987 | 1986 (unopposed) | 1st | |
| 2 | Yao Chia-wen | 20 December 1987 | 30 October 1988 | 1987 | 2nd | |
| 3 | Huang Hsin-chieh | 30 October 1988 | 20 January 1992 | 1988 | 3rd | |
| 3 | Huang Hsin-chieh | 30 October 1988 | 20 January 1992 | 1990 | 4th | |
| 4 | Hsu Hsin-liang | 20 January 1992 | 4 December 1993 (Resigned) | 1992 | 5th | Resigned after 1993 local elections defeat |
| — | Shih Ming-teh | 4 December 1993 | 18 July 1994 | Vice-chair as acting Chair | 5th | |
| 5 | Shih Ming-teh | 18 July 1994 | 23 March 1996 (Resigned) | 1994 | 6th | Resigned after 1996 presidential election defeat |
| — | Chang Chun-hung | 23 March 1996 | 18 July 1996 | Vice-chair as acting Chair | 6th | |
| (4) | Hsu Hsin-liang | 18 July 1996 | 18 July 1998 | 1996 | 7th | |
| 6 | Lin Yi-hsiung | 18 July 1998 | 20 April 2000 | 1998 Lin Yi-hsiung – 58,560 (unopposed) | 8th | |
| 7 | Frank Hsieh Chang-ting | 20 April 2000 | 21 July 2002 | 2000 Frank Hsieh – 53,510 (unopposed) | 9th | |
| 8 | Chen Shui-bian | 21 July 2002 | 11 December 2004 (Resigned) | President as Party Chair | 10th | Resigned after 2004 legislative election defeat |
| 8 | Chen Shui-bian | 21 July 2002 | 11 December 2004 (Resigned) | President as Party Chair | 11th | Resigned after 2004 legislative election defeat |
| — | Ker Chien-ming | 11 December 2004 | 15 January 2005 | Vice-chair as acting Chair | 11th | |
| 9 | Su Tseng-chang | 15 January 2005 | 3 December 2005 (Resigned) | 2005 Su Tseng-chang – 68,406 (unopposed) | 11th | Resigned after 2005 local elections defeat |
| — | Annette Lü Hsiu-lien (Interim) | 3 December 2005 | 15 January 2006 | Vice-chair as acting Chair | 11th | |
| 10 | Yu Shyi-kun (Resigned) | 15 January 2006 | 21 September 2007 | 2006 | 12th | Resigned amid corruption charges |
| — | Chai Trong-rong | 21 September 2007 | 15 October 2007 | Vice-chair as acting Chair | 12th | |
| (8) | Chen Shui-bian | 15 October 2007 | 12 January 2008 (Resigned) | President as Party Chair | 12th | Resigned after 2008 legislative election defeat |
| — | Frank Hsieh Chang-ting | 12 January 2008 | 20 May 2008 | Vice-chair as acting Chair | 12th | |
| 11 | Tsai Ing-wen | 20 May 2008 | 17 March 2011 (Temporary leave) | 2008 | 13th | Temporary leave of chairwomanship to focus on 2011 presidential party primary. |
| 11 | Tsai Ing-wen | 20 May 2008 | 17 March 2011 (Temporary leave) | 2010 Tsai Ing-wen – 78,192 You Ching – 8,406 | 14th | Temporary leave of chairwomanship to focus on 2011 presidential party primary. |
| — | Ker Chien-ming (Interim) | 17 March 2011 | 27 April 2011 | Vice-chair as acting Chair | 14th | |
| (11) | Tsai Ing-wen | 27 April 2011 | 29 February 2012 (Resigned) | Resumes chair | 14th | Resigned after 2012 presidential and legislative elections defeat |
| — | Chen Chu | 29 February 2012 | 30 May 2012 | Vice-chair as acting Chair | 14th | |
| (9) | Su Tseng-chang | 30 May 2012 | 28 May 2014 | 2012 Su Tseng-chang – 55,894 Su Huan-chih – 23,281 Wu Rong-i – 16,315 Chai Trong-rong – 12,497 Hsu Hsin-liang – 2,763 | 15th | |
| (11) | Tsai Ing-wen | 28 May 2014 | 24 November 2018 (Resigned) | 2014 Tsai Ing-wen – 85,410 Kuo Tai-ling – 5,734 | 16th | Resigned after 2018 local elections defeat |
| (11) | Tsai Ing-wen | 28 May 2014 | 24 November 2018 (Resigned) | President as Party Chair | 17th | Resigned after 2018 local elections defeat |
| (11) | Tsai Ing-wen | 28 May 2014 | 24 November 2018 (Resigned) | President as Party Chair | 18th | Resigned after 2018 local elections defeat |
| — | Lin Yu-chang | 28 November 2018 | 9 January 2019 | Nominated by Central Committee | 18th | |
| 12 | Cho Jung-tai | 9 January 2019 | 20 May 2020 | 2019 Cho Jung-tai – 24,699 Michael You Ying-lung – 9,323 | 18th | |
| (11) | Tsai Ing-wen | 20 May 2020 | 26 November 2022 (Resigned) | President as Party Chair | 19th | Resigned after 2022 local elections defeat |
| (11) | Tsai Ing-wen | 20 May 2020 | 26 November 2022 (Resigned) | President as Party Chair | 20th | |
| — | Chen Chi-mai | 30 November 2022 | 18 January 2023 | Nominated by Central Committee | 20th | |
| 13 | William Lai Ching-te | 18 January 2023 | Incumbent | 2023 | 20th |