Taiwan's KMT party struggles with internal divisions
Taiwan's KMT party struggles with internal divisions
Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) is currently facing a period of significant internal instability under the leadership of Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun.
Since taking office in late 2025, Cheng has shifted the party toward a more combative, pro-Beijing stance, moving away from the moderate coalition-building tactics of her predecessor, Eric Chu.
Critics, particularly younger legislators and local leaders, worry that this ideological rigidity alienates moderate voters and complicates vital relationships with the United States.
The KMT is currently split between its "deep blue" conservative faction, which remains committed to traditional Chinese nationalism, and a more moderate, locally-oriented wing.
This internal friction, often described by analysts as a "boiling teapot," has led to discord between local figures—like Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an—and the central leadership.
As the party prepares for the 2026 local elections, it faces the difficult task of balancing its traditional ideological base with the electoral reality of a Taiwanese public that largely opposes unification with China.
