Shortly after the general election in New Zealand, it looked like the conservative two-party alliance would have a narrow majority. Now the last votes have been counted – and the expected majority is gone.
Almost three weeks after the parliamentary election in New Zealand, the announcement of the official election results revealed a surprise: the targeted conservative alliance does not have a majority of its own. Multimillionaire Christopher Luxon of the National Party and the right-wing Liberals of the ACT have between them only 59 of 123 seats.
The day after the New Zealand parliamentary election in mid-October, it still looked like there would be a razor-thin majority for an alliance between the two parties. The fact that the final election result is only now being known – and with a changed majority – is due to the counting of votes cast by voters outside their constituency. That was almost 21 percent of the total votes.
Possible three-way alliance with New Zealand First
Prime Minister-designate Luxon categorically rejected new elections, but may now find himself forced into a three-party alliance, together with the right-wing nationalist, populist New Zealand First party. In recent years, this has become increasingly anti-immigrant. She was already part of a government in 2017: At that time, former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern from the Labor Party formed a minority government with the help of the Greens and New Zealand First.
Prime Minister-designate Luxon is confident he can hold productive talks with New Zealand First and the right-wing Liberals. A conclusion is still unclear.