After the legislative elections last December failed to meet the ruling pan-green camp's hope for a landslide, it was widely expected that there would be a cabinet reshuffle and that the premier would be replaced. Kaohsiung City mayor Frank Hsieh was a clear favorite for the post.
去年底立委選舉，執政的綠色陣營戰績未符理想，外界對於內閣改組的幅度與閣揆人選多所揣測，而時任高雄市長的謝長廷也一直在熱門名單中。