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]
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