New Zealand election ends without clear winner as coalition talks loom

New Zealand’s general election on Saturday produced no clear winner, leaving the country’s two largest parties to prepare for coalition negotiations. Preliminary results give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s centre-right National Party 42 seats, 19 short of the simple majority needed to form a government.

Labour, led by opposition leader Chris Hipkins, won 36 seats and has not conceded. Hipkins said the shape of the next government will remain uncertain for a while and that the new parliament will require all parties to compromise and find common ground.

“The next parliament is going to require all of us to compromise, to work together and to find a common ground.”

If National reaches a deal with coalition partners ACT and New Zealand First, the combined bloc would hold a slim lead over the left-leaning opposition. ACT won 13 seats and New Zealand First won 12.

Other parties crossing into parliament include the Greens with 16 seats, the centrist Opportunity Party with 7, and Te Pāti Māori with 5. The Opportunity Party cleared the 5 percent threshold required for entry.

More than 99 percent of votes have been counted, but National and Labour remain neck-and-neck in vote share. Their combined support stands at around 60 percent, described as historically low for the two major parties.

Luxon said he will run a caretaker government until official results are confirmed later this month, after which meaningful negotiations can begin. The electoral commission is not due to announce the official result until 27 November.