In brief
In a tight 2026 general election, the National‑led coalition secured 67 seats out of 131 in New Zealand’s parliament, giving Prime Minister Christopher Luxon a likely mandate for a second term. The opposition bloc, led by the Labour Party, holds 57 seats, and the final outcome will depend on 700,000 special votes to be counted by November 27.
WELLINGTON – New Zealand’s general election, held on November 6, culminated early Sunday with preliminary results that favour the National‑led coalition, putting Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on course for a second term. The coalition, consisting of the National Party, ACT New Zealand and New Zealand First, has won 67 of the 131 seats in the 120‑seat chamber after an 11‑seat overhang, giving it a narrow majority.
The opposition bloc, comprising the Labour Party, the Green Party and the Māori Party, holds 57 seats. According to the preliminary figures, National and Labour are almost neck‑and‑neck, each securing just under 30 percent of the popular vote. While National’s share was reported at 29.3 percent, Labour’s was 29.0 percent. The Green Party won a record 16 seats, and the centrist Opportunity Party is projected to secure seven seats.
Addressing supporters in Auckland, Luxon said the election was “too close to call,” adding that the final outcome would hinge on a pending 700,000 special votes that are yet to be counted. Those ballots, cast by overseas voters and people voting outside their electorates, are not included in the preliminary totals. The Electoral Commission has scheduled the release of the final official results, including special votes, for November 27.
The electoral system used in New Zealand is mixed‑member proportional. Voters cast a party vote and an electorate vote, and the government is usually formed by a coalition of two or more parties in parliament. The 2026 election saw 3.8 million provisionally enrolled voters, representing 93.6 percent of the estimated eligible population – a slight dip from the 94.7 percent enrolment in 2023.
While the 2026 vote shows National striking a modest lead, analysts note that the margin could shift with the final tally of special votes. The coalition will still need to negotiate and compromise with allies to form the next government in a multi‑party parliamentary system where a single party rarely has an outright majority.