New Zealand Faces Political Uncertainty as Final Votes Await Counting

(MENAFN) New Zealand's general election has failed to produce a definitive winner, leaving the country's next government uncertain until approximately 300,000 special ballots are counted to establish the final parliamentary balance.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who leads the National Party, said his political bloc still had a "pathway to forming the next government, but it is too close to call." He also stressed that "about 300,000 special votes" remained to be processed before the final outcome could be determined.

Special ballots include votes from citizens who are not registered on the electoral roll at their polling stations, individuals listed on the unpublished register, New Zealanders voting from overseas and people unable to reach a designated polling location.

The preliminary results showed a particularly tight contest between the governing National Party and the opposition Labour Party, with neither managing to exceed 30% of the overall party vote.

Labour finished slightly ahead with 29.4%, equivalent to 710,330 votes, while National followed closely with 29.2%, receiving 706,680 votes.

The initial parliamentary allocation gave National 42 seats, compared with 36 for Labour. However, securing a governing majority requires at least 66 seats in the 120-member Parliament, with the final composition also expected to include 11 additional overhang seats.

Luxon's existing governing arrangement brings together the National Party, ACT New Zealand and New Zealand First. ACT currently holds 13 parliamentary seats, while New Zealand First has 12, making their combined support central to the coalition's prospects of retaining power.

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