Taiwan's opposition alliance between the KMT and the smaller TPP has broken down in the Zhubei city mayor race, a setback for both parties hoping to avoid splitting their vote.

• Talks over a joint candidate in Zhubei collapsed, leaving the two opposition parties running against each other.
• Ko Wen-je, who founded the TPP, said the KMT's Hsinchu County candidate Hsu Hsin-ying should explain her own position in person instead of sending a spokesperson.
• He called on TPP chair Huang Kuo-chang and KMT chair Cheng Li-wun to meet quickly and clean up the mess.
• Hsu Hsin-ying's office says her stance on cooperating has not changed and she will follow any deal the parties reach.
• On the Hsinchu baseball stadium case, where former mayor Lin Chih-chien and others were cleared, Ko Wen-je said the courts are the country's last line of defense and must stay fair for people to trust them.

Outlook: Pressure now sits on the two party chairs to strike a deal before the local election lineup is locked in.