Cheng Li-wun: No Pre-Selected Candidate for the 2028 Presidential Nomination

Aug 31, 2026

Kuomintang Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun has stated that she will not tailor the nomination system to any particular candidate — good news for those in the party considering a 2028 run — but cracks have already appeared in KMT–TPP cooperation at the local election level.

  • Cheng said her top priority in her first nine months in office is to establish a fair nomination system, and that there will be absolutely no pre-selected candidate for the 2028 presidential race.
  • She describes herself as an "atypical KMT politician" and has personally taken on the role of president of the National Development Institute, aiming to reshape the party's core values and narrative.
  • In the Zhubei mayoral election, the KMT and the TPP have each put forward their own candidate, with the TPP accusing the KMT of breaking their agreement. Grassroots supporters worry the blue-white alliance will collapse, though former legislator Lin Wei-chou has revealed that the two sides have already reached a consensus on cooperation.
  • Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an's polling numbers have surpassed those of Lu Shiow-yen and Cheng Li-wun, and he is seen as the new leader of the pan-blue camp, with green-camp candidates lining up to challenge him.
  • Lai Ching-te has proposed a fund on the scale of NT$100 billion, providing NT$20 billion a year from 2027 to help small, medium and micro enterprises transform and upgrade.

Outlook: With registration for the Zhubei mayoral election due on September 3, whether the KMT and the TPP can pull together at the last moment will be the first litmus test of the 2026 local elections.

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