A brutally honest characterization of the current political dynamics within Taiwan, captured in a sobering way by @DSORennie. While the international community still spends the majority of their energy and attention on the potential Chinese military invasion against Taiwan, the most pressing threat and challenge that is already eroding its young democracy is the persistent political paralysis. This trend has led to a chronic paralysis of Taiwan’s domestic political functions and threaten to cultivate a political dynamic that will see political parties at different ends of the spectrum embracing risky tactics that will ultimately lead to the drop in public confidence and interest in politics and democracy. The current direction of travel in Taiwan’s domestic politics will be welcomed by Beijing, which views the persistent domestic chaos and political dysfunction as creating an opening for them to amplify certain narratives that will undermine the public’s confidence in the current Taiwanese government. They will also seek to double down on efforts to influence and interfere in Taiwan’s domestic politics through a combination of disinformation campaigns, targeted coercion, and selective support for certain political forces. The upcoming local election in November could be the first major testing ground for these pressure campaigns.