Nominations were opened on Friday, 22 February 2008. Three candidates were nominated. The first endorsement ballot of MPs was on 13 March 2008. Exhaustive ballots on 20 and 25 March 2008 reduced the candidates to two. The general membership of the party elected the leader by postal ballot. The result was announced on 31 March 2008. Johnny Briceño was elected as leader with almost 20 more votes than his opponent Francis Fonseca.