NZ will have a caretaker government for weeks. What that means and how it works
The final election result won’t be known for three weeks and coalition negotiations will take even longer. But it’s not correct to say ‘there’s no government’.
New Zealand's election results have created uncertainty and frustration for voters, but there are guidelines for the parties and the process of government during this period of political limbo. Final results, including a large number of special votes, won't be known until November 27, and it will take several weeks of negotiations between parties to form a viable coalition agreement.
Currently, neither the left nor right is conceding defeat, with Labour's Chris Hipkins and incumbent Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's National Party holding a narrow lead. The caretaker convention and the Cabinet Manual guide the process during this period of uncertainty. The incumbent government remains in place, and significant decisions are deferred or handled with a light touch.
Significant issues must be decided in consultation with other parties to ensure the confidence of the House. The final count may result in a few seat changes, particularly in Wairarapa, which is currently held by National's Mike Butterick by a narrow margin. The caretaker government must continue to function, and significant compromises will be necessary to form a stable government.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
