KMT Chairperson Chiang Wan-an Orders Full Legislative Mobilization for Local Elections

As the drums of war for the year-end nine-in-one local elections beat ever closer, political parties have entered a white-hot phase of campaign planning. To secure its existing base and expand its political footprint in this local election, Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wen specifically issued a mobilization order to all party-affiliated lawmakers today. She publicly called on all legislators to step out of the legislative halls, personally delve into various parts of Taiwan to campaign and rally for party candidates, and take the initiative to seize the discourse in public opinion when facing various external controversies and policy clashes, thereby demonstrating the KMT's united momentum and strong ambition as the election countdown enters its final stages.

Looking back at Taiwan's political ecosystem in recent years, the nine-in-one local elections have always been regarded as a midterm exam for the central government, as well as an important outpost for political parties to take stock of local grassroots strength and plan for future presidential and legislative elections. In the previous nine-in-one local elections, the KMT achieved quite impressive results, with the pan-Blue camp holding the helm of most county and city magistrate and mayoral posts across Taiwan, creating what the party viewed as a brilliant political achievement. However, political territory is like sailing against the current; facing the massive administrative resources and organizational mobilization capabilities invested by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government in the local elections, the KMT dares not lower its guard in the slightest. Cheng's explicit naming of party lawmakers to play the role of mother hens leading the chicks is precisely an effort to translate the supervisory energy and issue-fighting capacity of the legislature directly into substantive assistance for local campaigns through the nationwide travels of people's representatives.

In this campaign strategy, Cheng not only demands that lawmakers simply attend campaign rallies and raise their hands to shout slogans, but also emphasizes the need to "take the initiative" on various political and livelihood issues. This instruction reflects the current transformation in campaign styles; relying solely on traditional personal ties and local factional mobilization is no longer sufficient to cope with a rapidly changing voter structure. Voters have higher expectations regarding candidates' policy substance, issue sensitivity, and the party's oversight capabilities. Therefore, frontline legislators possess national visibility and professional parliamentary backgrounds. If they can combine the needs of local councilors and mayoral candidates to launch offensives on core issues of public concern—such as public safety, the economy, energy, and livelihood bills—they will effectively boost the overall campaign momentum and neutralize the political mudslinging that opponents might initiate.

For the KMT, the goal of the year-end election is not merely to hold the line; Cheng has explicitly stated the grand expectation of "achieving growth." This means that in addition to defending the counties and cities currently governed by the pan-Blue camp to ensure they are not lost, the KMT is also setting its sights on several key constituencies where the electoral race is deadlocked or even governed by the pan-Green camp. It attempts to achieve the strategic goal of expanding its governing territory through the strong boost of mother hens and the precise striking of issues. This stance of the entire party acting as one with its elite forces deployed also tests the integration capabilities of the KMT central party headquarters and local party branches in resource allocation, schedule coordination, and nomination strategies. Any omission in a single link could affect the ultimate maximization of votes.

As the election enters its final sprint, lawmakers will face dual pressures from their legislative duties and local campaigning schedules. How to balance the legislative operations of the Legislative Yuan while maximizing involvement in campaign work across Taiwan will be an important issue within the KMT in the coming period. Cheng's remarks undoubtedly blow the horn for a comprehensive general mobilization of party lawmakers. The ultimate outcome of this election will not only determine the KMT's voice in local politics for the next few years, but will also directly affect the restructuring of Taiwan's overall political power structure. All sectors are closely watching whether this wave of KMT general mobilization can bear fruit as desired.

(Fact Source: Central News Agency)