A new comment from Taiwan's national history chief about the term "dangwai" has turned into a political fight between the ruling and opposition parties.

• The newly installed head of Academia Historica warned that democratic terms are being twisted, pointing to talk of forming a "dangwai grand alliance."
• The KMT hit back, saying she is defending those in power and labeling the opposition just days into the job.
• KMT lawmakers argue no party or government gets to decide who counts as truly democratic, and that a state body making that call is the real danger.
• The DPP says the remark targeted the KMT chair's use of the "dangwai" label, not the opposition alliance itself, and that the term belongs to the authoritarian era when there was no free speech or right to form parties.
• Both sides claim history is not any single party's property.

Outlook: The fight over who owns Taiwan's democratic history is likely to keep flaring as election season heats up.