The two main parties were effectively deadlocked in Saturday’s tight general election in New Zealand, with the rising cost of living and general economic problems the main issues at stake. The results with 95% of the votes counted showed that the ruling center-right National Party and the opposition Labor Party were tied with just under 30% of the votes. The National Party had a slight lead of around 3,500 more votes than the Labor Party on Saturday night. Prime Minister calls for ‘path’ to power as opposition calls for ‘common ground’ Incumbent Prime Minister Cristopher Luxon, who heads the National Party, said his party “is once again the largest party in parliament, and we have a path to form the next government.” The National Party currently governs in coalition with the pro-business ACT party and the right-wing populist New Zealand First. According to preliminary results, the three parties will obtain a total of 67 seats in parliament, which represents a minimal majority. Labor leader Chris Hipkins said New Zealand politicians would need to find “common ground” after results showed neither his party nor the ruling National Party were likely to form a ruling majority on their own. “New Zealand has spoken. It may take us a little longer to find out exactly what you have said,” Hipkins told his supporters. “Our next parliament will require us all to compromise, work together and find common ground.” Hipkins was prime minister for 10 months after succeeding Jacinda Ardern in 2023. Picture: Yuxin Liu/AFP What to know about the New Zealand election results Special votes, including those cast by people abroad, will be counted over the next three weeks. The votes tend to benefit left-wing parties and have changed preliminary election results in the last three elections. Final results are expected to be released on November 27. If the right-wing bloc fails to maintain its slim majority, the centrist Opportunity Party could act as a decisive factor. The party is expected to win seven seats, surpassing the 5% threshold to enter parliament for the first time since its founding in 2017. Luxon previously ruled out cooperating with the Opportunity Party. New Zealand has a mixed-member proportional system that requires voters to tick two options: a party and a local electoral candidate. Electorate winners get a seat in parliament, which typically has 120 seats, unless so-called “outstanding” leads to more lawmakers returning to parliament, along with the party’s highest-ranking members based on their national vote. New Zealand’s parliament is based in WellingtonImage: picture-alliance/M.Moritz Preliminary results on Saturday showed parliament will be expanded to 130 seats due to surplus, making it the largest parliament in New Zealand’s history. The vote took place against a backdrop of high commodity prices and the highest unemployment in more than a decade. The vote was held under New Zealand’s strict laws that prohibit media reporting and political campaigning on the final day. However, New Zealanders have been able to cast their ballots since October 26, and almost 1.7 million of the country’s 3.8 million eligible voters had already cast their ballots by Thursday, according to the electoral commission.
