WELLINGTON – New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is on course to hang on to power as the head of a coalition government with a razor-thin majority following Saturday’s election, but his National Party could lose control of key government ministries to right-wing partners.
Center-right National and the main opposition Labour Party both polled below 30% for the first time ever, losing votes to minor parties on the left, right and center — a trend that analysts said mirrored a global shift away from the political establishment.
Preliminary New Zealand Electoral Commission data shows Luxon’s three-party coalition could govern with a majority of just two seats. But that margin may disappear once overseas and other special votes — which make up a seventh of the total and typically skew left — are included during the final count on Nov. 27.
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