The ruling party is pulling out all the stops to rule the island for a third consecutive term. If it succeeds, the DPP will be the first party to do so since the first public vote for presidential election took place in 1996.
If the KMT hopes to thwart the DPP’s ambitions, observers said it needs to team up with the TPP in order to win the election.
“If Mr Hou is to win, he must form an alliance with the non-green camp (DPP). If Mr Hou faces off with Mr Lai, the only option for Mr Hou is to get Mr Ko and Mr Gou on board in order to have a shot at the presidency,” said Mr Wang.
However, neither side has shown any sign of willingness to work with the other.
The KMT said Mr Hou would not run on the same ticket with Mr Ko as his running mate, making it more difficult for the opposition to win.
While the party has put up a show of unity to the outsiders, analysts said it is struggling with factional infighting.
For Mr Hou to pick up momentum in the race to the 2024 presidential elections, observers said the party must first unify the divided factions for the uphill battle ahead.