Politics

National Party Leads in New Zealand Election, Eyes Majority

By Agencies

With 97% of the vote counted early Sunday, New Zealand’s centre‑right governing coalition, led by the National Party, is on track to return to power. National, together with its allies the libertarian ACT party and the nationalist New Zealand First party, holds 67 seats in the 130‑seat parliament, giving them a slim majority. The final outcome could change when special ballots are counted, and the opposition has not yet conceded defeat. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said, "It is heartening to see that on the numbers so far, National is once again the largest party in parliament, and we have a pathway to forming the next government." A notable development of the night was the rise of the centrist Opportunity Party, which will enter parliament for the first time and could hold the balance of power once the final result is known at the end of the month.