Talks between the Taiwan People's Party and the Kuomintang on cooperation in Zhubei have broken down, casting a shadow over third-force plans for the year-end elections.

• While campaigning in Tainan, Ko Wen-je complained that the KMT was passing the blame back and forth over the collapse in Zhubei, with no one willing to step forward and take responsibility.
• KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun said the party would meet the elections with a broader vision and could not handle the matter, prompting Ko Wen-je to ask just who he is supposed to talk to.
• The TPP stressed that Huang Kuo-chang keeps his word and will not field a candidate in Zhubei, laying the blame for the collapse on the other side.
• The TPP holds only one council seat south of the Zhuoshui River, and this time it has nominated four candidates for the Tainan City Council in a bid to build a grassroots base.
• Former TPP legislator Li Chen-hsiu has entered the race for Zhubei mayor, and Ko Wen-je called on the central government to state clearly whether Chinese spouses have the right to take part in politics.

Outlook: If the rift in KMT-TPP cooperation spreads to Changhua and other constituencies, the room for coordination in the year-end local elections will shrink further.