Taiwan's opposition pact between the KMT and the TPP has broken down over who runs for mayor of Zhubei, a split that helps the ruling DPP and worries both parties' local candidates.

• Both parties are now running their own candidate in Zhubei — the KMT's Wu Hsu-chih and the TPP's Chiu Chen-yuan — after coordination talks failed.
• TPP chair Huang Kuo-chang blames the KMT for breaking its word, singling out its Hsinchu County candidate Hsu Hsin-ying, and says KMT lawmakers have privately offered to campaign for his man.
• Critics inside the blue camp say Hsu had no power to decide the nomination, so Huang may be aiming his fire at the wrong person.
• Fear is spreading that the fallout becomes a "broken window" effect hitting other races, including New Taipei — where the KMT's Lee Szu-chuan insists cooperation still holds.
• The two camps are still showing unity in Taichung, where Huang appeared hand-in-hand with mayor Lu Shiow-yen and KMT candidate Chiang Chi-chen.

Outlook: Registration is now open and both candidates are going ahead, so the fight moves to damage control before the 2026 local elections.