Taiwan's 2026 local elections are under way, and the blue camp has been dragged into a difficult fight by infighting over nominations — bad news for the Kuomintang (KMT) and an opportunity for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

• The KMT and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) fell out publicly over the nomination for Zhubei mayor, and races for city and county chiefs and for councillors have shifted as a result.
• Media commentator Huang Yang-ming said bluntly that the blue camp can no longer hope to exceed its seat count from the last cycle; the current trajectory points to defeat, and the most it can aim for is not to lose too many.
• Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an is beset by controversies — from accountability over a child abuse case and Chen Shih-chung's criticism of his "physiognomy," to a livestream by a descendant of the Chiang family being forcibly cut off by a Chinese platform — all of which have become talking points.
• The Executive Yuan has been accused of drawing on NT$500 million in budget funds frozen by the Legislative Yuan without authorisation. The opposition denounced the move as contempt for the legislature, while the Executive Yuan said it was lawful and compliant.
• Lai Ching-te, Tsai Ing-wen and Puma Shen have been campaigning intensively in local constituencies, and the first public handshake between Chiang Wan-an and Puma Shen drew particular attention.

Outlook: If the blue camp cannot resolve its nomination infighting, the pressure of seat losses will keep mounting in the run-up to the election.