Waiting game in New Zealand as election remains on a knife-edge
It could take weeks for New Zealand to learn who their prime minister will be, with no clear winner emerging on election night.
Auckland, November 8 - New Zealand faced a politically uncertain future on Sunday after a close election produced no clear winner, with minor parties making record gains. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon declared his right-wing coalition had the mandate to form the next government, though results remained too close to call definitively.
His National Party secured the most seats, giving them a slim majority of just two if combined with their coalition partners, NZ First and ACT. Luxon attributed his party's success to the global fuel shock caused by the war in the Middle East, which impacted New Zealand's economy. Opposition Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins, however, had only a narrow path to power with his left-wing grouping, which also includes the Green Party and Te Pati Maori.
The final vote count, including nearly 400,000 special votes, will be announced on November 27. The election highlighted the influence of minor parties, particularly Opportunity Party, which won seven seats and could play a crucial role in shaping the next government.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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