This invention provides a novel electrochemical display element, which can realize bright white display, high-contrast black and white display, and full-color display by a simple member construction, and a method for driving the display element. The display element is characterized in that it comprises opposed electrodes, and an electrolyte, an electrochromic compound, a metal salt compound, and a white scattering material between the opposed electrodes, and multicolor display of three or more colors is carried out by black display, white display, and display of color other than black by driving the opposed electrodes by taking advantage of 1) a color change as a result of oxidation and reduction reactions of the electrochromic compound, and 2) a color change as a result of reduction precipitation and oxidation dissolution of a metallic element contained in the metal salt compound in at least one of the opposed electrodes.