Chen had also served in various capacities with the Taipei and Kaohsiung city governments between 1995 and 2000, with the latter being the year when she graduated from the National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) with a master's degree in public affairs. She then served as Minister of the Council of Labor Affairs, the precursor to present-day Ministry of Labor, in various cabinets between 2000 and 2005. Chen won the 2006 Kaohsiung mayoral election and became the Republic of China's first directly-elected female mayor of a special municipality.[6] She was twice reelected in 2010 and 2014 with about 53% and 68% of the votes respectively.[7][8]
The Democratic Progressive Party, which Chen helped to found, temporarily suspended her membership during her tenure as President of the Control Yuan according to party rules.[1] Chen had expressed hopes of becoming the last President of the Control Yuan[26] after helping to secure passage of the amendments to the Constitution.[27]
Kaohsiung mayoralty
2006 Kaohsiung mayoral election
Chen narrowly defeated the Kuomintang candidate Huang Jun-ying with a margin of just 1,120 votes in the 2006 Kaohsiung mayoral election.[28] After announcement of the election result, Huang filed two lawsuits against Chen's campaign team, requesting the court to annul the election. He argued airing of a video, produced by Chen's campaign team, on the eve of the election resulted in his loss. The Kaohsiung District Court ruled in favor of Huang in one of the lawsuits, thus nullifying the election.[29]
Chen expressed her intention to appeal to the court upon knowing the verdict. She claimed it would be a political suicide if she accepted the ruling. While her colleague and Democratic Progressive Party legislator Kuan Bi-ling advised Chen to concede,[29] Chen nonetheless appealed the ruling. There were speculations on whether Kuan, who lost to Chen during the primaries, made the remark out of personal interest.[29]
The High Court eventually overturned the earlier decision of the Kaohsiung District Court and revalidated the election result on 17 November 2007.[30][31] Chen announced, after all legal proceedings against the mayoral election result had ended, that her policy priorities would be the city's transportation, infrastructure construction and environmental protection.[32]
The closing ceremony was held in the sold-out World Games Stadium, where President of the International World Games Association Ron Froehlich called the Games a "fantastic success" and declared it "the best ever".[42] Tourism Bureau of Kaohsiung announced the Games generated nearly US$61 million in revenue for the city. The city's department stores reported a 15-percent growth in sales. Chen said Kaohsiung would no longer be known only as the second largest city in Taiwan, but also the one that hosted the best World Games ever.[43]
Typhoon Fanapi
Chen was criticized for having a nap in her residence while many parts of Kaohsiung were flooded during Typhoon Fanapi on 19 September 2010.[44]
Chen tearfully apologized, saying she felt guilty for taking a rest. Stressing that she returned to her residence to change her wet clothes, Chen indicated she was also keeping a close eye on the rainstorm.[45] Critics called for her immediate resignation and compared Chen's behaviour to then-PremierLiu Chao-shiuan's haircut and then-Secretary-General of the Executive YuanHsieh Hsiang-chuan's attendance at a Father's Day dinner during Typhoon Morakot in August 2009.[46][47]
Chen and the Kaohsiung City Government were sued by Lin Chi-mei, a fellow party member and local official from Benhe Village, in the aftermath of the flooding. She alleged the local government did not maintain properly the flood control facilities.[48][49]
Kaohsiung residents criticized Chen for taking an apathetic attitude in the 2014 Kaohsiung gas explosions.[53] The Kuomintang caucus in the Kaohsiung City Council sued her for negligence which led to casualties.[54] A subpoena was issued to Chen and three other municipal officials on 22 September 2014.[55] The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors' Office decided on 18 December 2014 not to indict Chen.[56]
2014 Kaohsiung mayoral election
Chen launched her second reelection campaign in 2014 and defeated the Kuomintang candidate Yang Chiu-hsing in the mayoral election, held on 29 November 2014, with 68.09% of the votes.[57]
^Chen was elected before and after the merge of the Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County. She was the 3rd Mayor of Kaohsiung City (before) and 1st Mayor of Kaohsiung (after).
^侯承旭 (25 December 2007). 陳菊就職一週年 宣示施政三方向. Liberty Times (in Chinese). Taiwan (ROC). Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
^"95年直轄市長選舉 候選人得票數". 中央選舉委員會 (in Chinese). Taiwan. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
^前鎮河整容 市長拍胸脯. Liberty Times (in Chinese). Taiwan (ROC). 7 April 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2009.