Kuomintang legislator Weng Hsiao-ling has become one of the most unpopular political figures online in Taiwan, which is bad news for the KMT's local election strategy.

• Internal DPP public opinion data shows that over the past week, negative sentiment toward Weng Hsiao-ling reached 87%, while positive sentiment stood at just 3%.
• Her net favourability is lower than that of KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun, Legislative Yuan Speaker Han Kuo-yu, and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an.
• The volume of online discussion about her approaches that of Chiang Wan-an, but it is almost entirely negative.
• Public resentment centres on her deep budget cuts, in particular the freezing and deletion of the state affairs fund, which led to the cancellation of Mid-Autumn Festival orders at sheltered workshops and angered ordinary members of the public.
• The DPP has already made her a central theme of its campaign, arguing that KMT candidates who went along with her budget cuts should all be held accountable at the ballot box.

Weng Hsiao-ling responded that she puts forward every bill and budget proposal in earnest and does not fear questioning or rumours.

Outlook: The controversy surrounding Weng Hsiao-ling could become a burden for KMT candidates for city mayor and county magistrate, and the DPP will continue to tie her to local election races.