1918 Chinese presidential election

The 1918 Chinese presidential election were the elections held on 4 September 1918 in Beijing for the second term of the President of China. Xu Shichang was elected by two houses of the National Assembly which were controlled by the Anfu Club formed in the National Assembly election in the same year.[1]

1918 Chinese presidential election

4 September 1918

Nominee Xu Shichang Duan Qirui Party Independent Anhui clique Electoral vote 425 5 Percentage 98.15% 1.15%

President before election Feng Guozhang Zhili clique Elected President Xu Shichang Independent

Feng Guozhang's term as president expired on 10 October 1918. He did not seek re-election provided Duan Qirui retired as Premier on the same day.[2] Xu Shichang, a veteran statesman and was seen as being a fairly neutral mediator between different factions and between the North and South.[1]

Though the Anfu Club promised the vice-presidency to Cao Kun, the Communications Clique prevented the two-thirds quorum required for his election and left the office vacant.

The Guangzhou Government denounced the "new" parliament as illegal and refused to recognize the election of Xu Shichang as legitimate. The "old" National Assembly elected in 1912 attained a quorum on 6 August in Guangzhou and declared it would not recognize any activities of the body meeting in Beijing, including the presidential election or any mandates or agreements made.[3]