Polls also suggest that Hsu's departure has struck a heavy blow to party unity. In fact, competition between Hsu and Chen was already heated before Hsu announced his decision with splits in evidence long before the presidential campaign became an issue.
而民調也顯示，許信良退黨之後，民進黨的團結形象大受打擊。事實上，許扁之爭在塵埃落定之前，在黨內揚起的爭論沸沸揚揚，雖然是為民進黨兩千年的勝選而爭論，卻早已在黨內造成不小的裂痕。