TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — TPP Legislator Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) said Sunday that her party may be open to cooperating with the DPP if three key conditions are met.
Chen said the DPP must:
- Treat former TPP Chair Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) fairly;
- Accept the legislative reform proposals passed earlier in 2024; and
- Support the TPP-backed surrogate pregnancy bill.
She also pointed to DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed bill requiring lawmakers visiting China to notify authorities in advance as another potential area for cooperation, per UP Media.
Chen said her placement on the TPP’s at-large list in the 2024 election reflected Ko’s willingness to work with the DPP. However, she noted that DPP legislative caucus convener Ker Chien-ming’s (柯建銘) earlier dismissal of the list as “worthless” had hardened TPP attitudes toward collaboration.
Chen emphasized that any partnership would require active involvement from DPP leadership. Former DPP Legislator Lee Wen-chung (李文忠) echoed this sentiment, calling for a coalition government following the DPP’s poor performance in the July 26 recall elections, per UP Media.
Despite the possibility of DPP-TPP cooperation, the TPP-KMT alliance appears to be gaining momentum. KMT lawmakers and TPP Hsinchu Mayor Kao Hung-an (高虹安) all received more votes in the July 26 recall elections than they did in the 2024 and 2022 general elections, respectively, per The Reporter.
Former KMT Legislator Alex Tsai (蔡正元) suggested that TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) run as vice president alongside KMT Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) in the 2028 presidential election, per Nownews.
Still, the TPP-KMT alliance faces long-term challenges. UDN reported that the strength of the coalition will be tested in the 2026 local elections, particularly in coordinating city council seats and municipal offices, and again in the 2028 presidential race.
Analysts say the coalition must not only align strategically but also act swiftly. A prolonged negotiation period, like the one seen in 2024, could once again give the DPP a critical edge.
