New Zealand leaders line up to woo kingmaker Peters

New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English speaks to supporters during an election night event in Auckland September 23, 2017. — Reuters pic WELLINGTON, Sept 24 — Both of New Zealand's major political parties moved to open coalition negotiations with maverick MP Winston Peters today after the country's general election stalemate left him in the position of kingmaker.

However, conservative Prime Minister Bill English appeared to be in the driving seat to form a government due to tensions among the opposition parties that would need to unite to unseat him.

English's National Party performed strongly in yesterday's election to claim 46.0 percent of the vote or 58 seats, three short of the 61 needed to win.

The main opposition Labour Party, led by charismatic newcomer Jacinda Ardern, polled a disappointing 35.8 per cent to take 45 seats, although that rises to 52 if the seven seats of close ally the Greens are included.

It means that both English and Ardern would need the nine seats held by Peters' New Zealand First party to get over the line and reach the majority required to form a government.

He was holed up in his North Island electorate today awaiting calls from English and Ardern pitching their case for his support.

"They'll try to make a decision but they won't have the cards that matter," Peters said.

"We know what we have to do responsibly. We're going to talk as a political party, as a caucus and as a board and when we've made our decision we'll then start talking to other people about what we might do."

Asked why Peters should back English, National campaign director Steven Joyce said his party's 46 per cent of the vote clearly showed it had more support than Labour.

"We'll be able to work well with New Zealand First. There's a number of our people have good relationships with not just Winston but his team," he told TVNZ.

"So let's just see how that plays out. The prime minister will start on that today."

'It's up to Winston Peters'

Labour campaign director Phil Twyford said Peters, known for his anti-immigration and protectionist policies, had more in common with the centre-left party than National.

"It's about who can put together a majority and I believe that we're well and truly in the game," he told the state broadcaster.

"There's much more policy alignment between New Zealand First and Labour. They're committed to a much more hands-on approach to economic management."

During the campaign, Labour dismissed a NZF policy to hold a referendum on the future of the seven seats reserved specifically for the indigenous Maori population.

However, Twyford said today he could not dismiss the possibility of it being part of negotiations.

"I can't say that now and I won't because the coalition discussions are going to start today. I think all those issues are going to be on the table," he told TV3's The Nation.

"Our position is very clear on that, people know where we stand on the Maori seats. We support them."

An added difficulty for Ardern's Labour is that it must bring together two bitter foes in Peters and the Greens if it is to gain office.

The Greens angered Peters by labelling his anti-immigration rhetoric racist earlier this year and he warned there would be "consequences."

Greens leader James Shaw appeared downbeat about the prospect of the notoriously cranky septuagenarian forgetting past differences to join Labour and the Greens.

"Look, it's not likely, right, but if you look at the fact that the three opposition parties together have 61 seats... it is possible. We could form a government," he said.

"As everyone says, it's ultimately up to Winston Peters." — AFP </s> AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Polls have closed in New Zealand’s national elections and the first results are trickling in for what is shaping up to be a close race between conservative Prime Minister Bill English and liberal challenger Jacinda Ardern.

Early results on Saturday showed English’s National Party a little ahead of Ardern’s Labour Party.

However, under New Zealand’s proportional voting system, large parties typically must form alliances with smaller parties in order to govern. That means there’s a chance there will be no clear winner on election night, and that parties may bargain with each other over the coming days or weeks to form a coalition.

Ardern, 37, has enjoyed a remarkable surge in popularity since taking over as opposition leader last month. English, 55, has highlighted his experience and promised tax cuts. </s> WELLINGTON: New Zealand's cliffhanger election ended in a stalemate Saturday (Sep 23), leaving maverick populist Winston Peters of the New Zealand First (NZF) party to decide whether conservative Prime Minister Bill English or his youthful challenger Jacinda Ardern forms government.

English delivered an unexpectedly strong performance to claim 46 per cent of the vote, while the much-hyped "Jacinda-mania" surrounding Ardern fell short as she finished on 36.

"Of course we were hoping for higher... obviously we hoped for better," said Ardern, the 37-year-old who looked set for an upset win after taking over the centre-left Labour Party last month.

It could be another two weeks before the outcome is known, with Peters saying he was in no hurry to decide who to support.

The major parties must forge coalitions to reach a majority under New Zealand's proportional voting system, but all of the existing groupings fell short. On the final count, English's National Party and current ally ACT had 59 seats, two shy of the 61 needed to win.

Ardern's centre-left Labour Party and its preferred partner the Greens were on 54, still needing another seven. That means neither can govern without Peters' NZF, which claimed nine seats.

Peters, 72, a political veteran who has played the kingmaker in two previous elections, said he had an important decision to make and would not be rushed.

"As things stand we do have the balance of political responsibility and we're not going to be hasty with that," he said.

He added: "We'll make a decision in the interests of all New Zealand and New Zealand First, that is the whole country... that will take some time."

The campaign has been the most volatile in recent memory, with momentum swinging from English to Ardern and then back again.

English was in the driving seat to win a fourth term until Ardern took over the Labour Party last month. She galvanised support for the ailing centre-left party, giving it a 20-point popularity boost to draw level with National.

But the "Jacinda-mania" phenomenon waned as English attacked her financial credibility while pointing to his economic record over the past nine years.

She appeared deflated addressing the party faithful after the vote, saying she had given her all and apologising for not achieving enough.

Ardern said she still hoped to become prime minister as part of a Labour-Greens-NZF coalition, despite Peters' historic differences of opinion with the Greens.

"I simply cannot predict at this point what decisions other leaders will make," she said. "We've got a lot of work in front of us still, not too much revelry."

"I know our parties don't agree on everything, but now is the time to put those differences aside and to work together," he said.

In contrast, English was bullish about his chances of securing a fourth-term government for National, a feat that has not been achieved in New Zealand for more than 50 years. He pointed out that National outpolled Labour and the Greens combined, saying voters had shown a clear preference for the centre-right party.

"We go into negotiations with the intention of forming a stable government which enables this country to deliver for New Zealanders," he said

The result helps English make amends for his last leadership foray in 2002, when National slumped to a record defeat and won barely 20 percent of the vote.

Peters has shown in the past that he will back either side if the right offer is made.

In 1996, he helped install a National-led government in return for being made deputy prime minister, then in 2005 he joined a Labour coalition after being given the job of foreign minister.

"I'm a very reasonable person but I don't sell myself or my principles out," he said this week. </s> The leaders of New Zealand’s main parties prepared Sunday to start talks with Winston Peters, the leader of a nationalist party who emerged as kingmaker after an inconclusive general election, but Peters indicated he was in no rush to pick a side.

Prime Minister Bill English’s National Party won the largest number of votes in Saturday’s general election, securing a comfortable margin over the Labour opposition after what had shaped up as one of the closest votes in recent history.

But it was Peters and his New Zealand First Party who emerged in a position of power, with both National and Labour needing his support to form a government under New Zealand’s proportional representation system.

The National Party, which has been in power for a decade, secured 46 percent of the vote, while Labour had 35.8 percent and New Zealand First 7.5 percent. A final tally, including overseas votes, will be released Oct. 7.

The results so far secured 58 seats for National in the 120-seat parliament and 45 for Labour. New Zealand First has nine seats and the Green Party has seven.

Labour and the Greens have a working agreement, with Labour leader Jacinda Ardern potentially in a position to form a coalition government with 61 seats if she wins Peters’ support — the bare minimum needed.

Peters, who has served in previous Labour and National governments, told reporters Sunday he had not yet received any calls from National or Labour, and had not contacted them.

The colorful populist, a rugby-loving former foreign minister, has in the past backed the party that won the most votes but said he was discussing options with members of his own party first.

“I’m doing it one-by-one by phone,” said Peters, a lawyer of indigenous Maori and Scottish descent.

Asked how long it might be before he made a decision, Peters said: “How long before I pick you up and throw you into the water over there?”

Ardern, a charismatic 37-year-old, revived her party’s flagging fortunes after taking over as leader in August but fell far short of what early opinion polls suggested could have been a stunning turnaround.

She said it would be hard to complete coalition talks until all votes were tallied. Speaking outside her home in Auckland on Sunday, she said her centre-left party would not concede until “we are sure that a stable government has been formed.”

English said he would proceed with negotiations with New Zealand First.

“The shortest path to stable government is a two-party coalition between National and New Zealand First,” English told a news conference. </s> New Zealand voted Saturday in a cliffhanger election pitting conservative Prime Minister Bill English against charismatic young rival Jacinda Ardern.

The campaign has been the most volatile in recent memory, with momentum swinging from English to Ardern and then back again.

"This election is going to be really close... it's a drag race between the two big parties," English said on the hustings Friday, conceding a large undecided vote could prove key.

Under New Zealand's strict election laws, exit polls are not allowed during election-day voting which opened at 9am (2100 GMT Friday) and closed at 7pm (0700 GMT).

However, a firm indication of the outcome is expected within three-and-a-half hours of the close.

There were 3.2 million registered voters of which 1.24 million cast an early vote.

No party has claimed a majority government in New Zealand's 120-seat parliament since proportional voting was adopted in 1996 and this election is unlikely to change that.

Pre-election opinion polls showed either English's conservative National Party or Ardern's centre-left Labour could be in a position to form a government late Saturday.

Another possibility was that there will be no immediate winner with both major parties seeking coalition partners to get them over the line.

If that happens, populist anti-immigration campaigner Winston Peters' New Zealand First party looms as a potential kingmaker.

Ardern was hoping for a high youth vote to counter her dip in the polls in the final week of campaigning and visited universities across the country encouraging students to cast their ballots.

"This is going to come down to whether or not people turn out and vote," she said Friday.

English's National Party was in the driving seat to win a fourth term until Ardern took over the Labour Party last month.

The 37-year-old galvanised support for the ailing centre-left party, giving it a 20-point popularity boost to bring it level with National.

Arden accused the government of inertia, saying that after three terms it has run out of ideas on issues such as housing affordability and protecting the environment.

Her policy platform includes free tertiary education and slashing immigration to reduce pressure on housing and infrastructure.

Ardern is bidding to become New Zealand's youngest leader since 1856 and only the third woman to lead the South Pacific nation of 4.6 million people.

But the "Jacinda-mania" phenomenon waned as English attacked her financial credibility while pointing to his economic record over the past nine years.

The 55-year-old ex-farmer and father-of-six, who took over as prime minister when John Key stepped down last December, argued only National can maintain strong economic growth.

English also wants to make amends for his last leadership foray in 2002, when National slumped to a record defeat and won barely 20 percent of the vote.

While tipping a close race, he is confident National can win a fourth term, a feat no New Zealand government has achieved in more than 50 years.

The wildcard for both English and Ardern is Peters, whose party could decide the outcome of the election if it is as tight as polls predict.

The 72-year-old political veteran has shown in the past that he will back either side if the right offer is made.

In 1996, he helped install a National-led government in return for being made deputy prime minister, then in 2005 he joined a Labour coalition after being given the job of foreign minister. </s> The former New Zealand prime minister Bill English has resigned as leader of the opposition less than six months after being defeated by Labour’s ‘stardust’ Jacinda Ardern.

Speculation had been building for weeks that English would step aside, and the decision became clear after the National party met for a two-day conference in Tauranga last week.

“Now is the right time for me to step aside and embark on new professional and personal challenges. I informed the national caucus this morning that I am resigning as leader of the national party,” English said at an emotional press conference this morning.

“I believe this will give National’s new leader time to prepare the party time for the 2020 election. It has been a huge privilege to lead the party and serve in politics.”

English said he would step aside on 27 February.

National secured 46% of the vote in the 2017 September election, giving it 58 seats in parliament, while Labour took home 35.8% and 45 seats.

After weeks of deliberation kingmaker Winston Peters threw his support behind the Labour party, allowing them to form a coalition government with the Greens, as Ardern as prime minister. </s> Polls opened Saturday in a cliffhanger New Zealand election pitting conservative Prime Minister Bill English against charismatic young rival Jacinda Ardern.

The campaign has been the most volatile in recent memory, with momentum swinging from English to Ardern and then back again.

"This election is going to be really close... it’s a drag race between the two big parties," English said on the hustings Friday, conceding a large undecided vote could prove key.

No party has claimed a majority government in New Zealand’s 120-seat parliament since proportional voting was adopted in 1996 and this election is unlikely to change that. </s> The nationalist New Zealand First Party has emerged the potential kingmaker in the general elections held on Saturday, as Prime Minister Bill English’s National Party won most votes but fell short of a majority.

The National Party clocked 46% of all votes, while rival Labour Party managed 35.8%, the final tally from New Zealand’s Electoral Commission showed. New Zealand First Party, led by controversial anti-immigration figure Winston Peters, had a 7.5% vote share.

New Zealand has a proportional voting system in its general elections. Their vote shares mean that the National Party bagged 58 seats and the Labour Party, 45. They will now attempt to strike alliances to reach the 61-seat mark for a majority in the 120-seat Parliament.

English said negotiations with Peters to form government will begin in the next few days. “...We go into negotiations with the intention of forming a stable government that enables this country to deliver for New Zealanders,” the prime minister told supporters, according to the New Zealand Herald.

The Labour Party’s Jacinda Ardern said, “Sometimes MMP [mixed member proportional voting system] leaves us with an outcome that requires a little bit of extra work.” </s> Former Prime Minister Bill English has quit as leader of the National Party, bringing his 14-month stint at the party's helm to a close.

Mr English, who has been an MP for 28 years, also quit Parliament.

He twice led the National Party to defeat in an election, and announced he was stepping aside to give his party a chance to regroup from its dramatic fall from parliamentary grace.

On election night, National-ACT held a three-seat edge over their Labour-Greens rivals, but still fell four seats short of a clear majority.

Over the next 26 days, both parties courted the nine seats offered by NZ First, until Winston Peters eventually sided with Labour and the Greens to overturn the three-term National government and end Mr English's short 10-month stint as New Zealand's 39th Prime Minister.

"We will be by far the strongest opposition party this Parliament has seen because nearly one in two New Zealanders supported us," he said afterwards.

"And for a party going into opposition, we're in the best shape you've ever seen - there's talent, energy, a group of people who were geared up to be the government."

While gracious in defeat, Mr English signalled his own future as leader would be up for discussion in coming weeks.

Through his eight years as Deputy Prime Minister, Mr English fashioned a formidable combination with Sir John Key and loomed as the logical successor when his boss resigned last December.

Less than five months ago, he seemed a hot favourite to retain the Prime Minister role, with National polling 20 points clear of Labour.

Significantly, though, a Labour-Greens-NZ First coalition would still have held sway - and after newcomer Jacinda Ardern was promoted to Labour leader on August 1, she swung and maintained just enough momentum to snatch power.

Newshub.
Prime Minister Bill English of the National Party wins a plurality of votes, but not enough for a majority, as the Labour Party led by Jacinda Ardern makes significant gains. Winston Peters becomes a kingmaker with his third-placed New Zealand First party, able to form a coalition government with either major party.