New Zealand’s governing coalition is hoping to stay in power after the general election held on Saturday. Initial vote counts show a slim majority for the centre-right National Party, the right-wing ACT Party, and the nationalist New Zealand First, who have a combined total of 67 out of 131 parliamentary seats based on provisional results. National secured 42 seats, ACT gained 13, and New Zealand First received 12 seats.
However, the final outcome may change because around 14% of the vote, or 399,365 ballots, still need to be counted. These remaining “special votes” typically include ballots from voters who tend to support left-leaning parties, such as the Green Party, Te Pati Maori, and the Labour Party. Official results will be announced on November 27.
After the special votes are counted, parties will understand how many seats they require to form a government and will begin negotiations for a coalition or confidence and supply agreements. The Opportunity Party, which is entering parliament for the first time, may play a significant role in these discussions, despite National leader Christopher Luxon’s previous refusal to partner with them.
Both Luxon and Labour leader Chris Hipkins plan to wait for final results before initiating coalition talks. Hipkins expressed a desire for a government by Christmas, with Parliament required to meet by January 14. Until then, the National-led coalition will continue as a caretaker government, managing routine affairs but unable to make major decisions independently.
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With information from Reuters
