Cooperation between Taiwan's Kuomintang and the Taiwan People's Party in the Zhubei mayoral election has formally broken down, but room for a deal remains — a glimmer of hope amid the bad news for both parties' supporters.

• TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang and Zhubei candidate Chiu Chen-yuan held a press conference to announce the collapse of the blue-white alliance, saying the two parties will each register their own candidates.
• The breakdown could set off a domino effect, spilling over into races in Hsinchu County, New Taipei City, Yilan County, Chiayi City and elsewhere.
• Polls show both the KMT and the TPP have higher negative than positive ratings, while the green camp's positive rating is close to 50 percent. Even joining forces might not be enough to beat the DPP, and firing at each other amounts to mutual destruction.
• Both Cheng Li-wun and Huang Kuo-chang left themselves room to manoeuvre in their remarks, an indication that neither side can bear the risk of all-out war.
• The blue-white alliance in Taichung remains solid, with Huang Kuo-chang entering hand in hand with Lu Shiow-yen and Chiang Chi-chen in a show of unity; Lee Si-chuan has also given assurances that the blue-white arrangement in New Taipei will not change.

Outlook: Before the deadline for candidates to formally register in Zhubei, the two parties' leaderships will very likely make one last attempt at a deal.