Li Chen-hsiu, a former Taiwan People's Party legislator and a Chinese spouse, has abruptly announced a run for mayor of Zhubei City in Hsinchu County — bad news for KMT-TPP coordination, and for her personally a battle over eligibility.

• Li entered the Zhubei mayoral race today without prior notice, putting forward five main policy planks covering transport, education, recreation, the environment and governance, and stressing that the decision was not made on the spur of the moment.
• She previously lost her seat as a legislator over a dispute concerning her Chinese nationality and the cancellation of her household registration, was subsequently expelled from the TPP, and had her court petition to have her legislative status restored dismissed.
• Democratic Progressive Party candidate Tseng Sheng-kai has called on her to produce, as the law requires, full documentation of her dual nationality, household registration and eligibility to hold public office, to be assessed by the electoral authorities.
• The Central Election Commission said that a former resident of mainland China seeking to run for public office must have held household registration in Taiwan for a full ten years, counted from the date of submitting proof of renunciation of the original nationality, before they can register.
• Zhubei is seen as a pivotal seat for KMT-TPP cooperation, and with the KMT's Wu Hsu-chih and the TPP's Chiu Chen-yuan yet to reach an accommodation, Li's entry makes the picture messier still.

Outlook: the local elections take place on November 28. Whether Li can clear the registration threshold will be determined by the electoral authorities under the ten-year household registration rule.