The battle lines in Taiwan's 2026 local elections have been drawn early, with Taoyuan City councillor candidate Ssu Kuang-yang and political commentator Wu Ching-yi filing suits against each other, while the KMT-TPP cooperation formally collapsed in Hsinchu County — bad news for the blue camp's electoral prospects.

• Ssu Kuang-yang, son of legislator Wan Mei-ling, has filed a criminal complaint against Wu Ching-yi over insinuations that he used drugs, and plans to seek civil damages as well.
• Wu Ching-yi hit back by posting screenshots of what appear to be conversations between Ssu Kuang-yang and a female friend, filled with obscene language, financial disputes and threats, demanding he say whether he will withdraw from the race.
• The blue and white camps have fallen out completely in Hsinchu County and Zhubei City, with the TPP ordering its party officials and elected representatives not to appear on stage for the KMT's Hsu Hsin-ying, while candidate Chiu Chen-yuan held another press conference questioning the county government's failed flood control efforts, drawing a forceful rebuttal from the county government.
• Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an is beset by controversies, with his eldest son's selection for a government-funded exchange place in the United States raising accusations of privilege; Kuo Cheng-liang argued that the green camp's targeting of a minor child could backfire on Puma Shen and Su Chiao-hui.
• The Ministry of Transportation and Communications' metro construction budget will surge to NT$45.3 billion next year, with Taipei and New Taipei taking nearly NT$20 billion; Chiang Wan-an said he would overcome labour shortages and price pressures to push forward with six lines simultaneously.

Outlook: With less than three months to go before the November 28 vote, the rift between the blue and white camps looks unlikely to be repaired any time soon, and the personal attacks and tell-all revelations are expected only to intensify.