New Zealand’s election has left the next government unsettled, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s centre-right National Party winning 42 seats in preliminary results—19 short of the simple majority needed to govern alone. National could form a coalition with ACT and New Zealand First, which would give the right-leaning bloc a slim lead, but Labour leader Chris Hipkins has not conceded. More than 99% of votes have been counted, while special votes, including overseas ballots and votes cast outside a voter’s electorate, remain outstanding until the official result is announced on 27 November. The centrist Opportunity Party crossed the 5% threshold to enter Parliament for the first time and said it could negotiate with either side, making it a potential kingmaker. An earlier preliminary account listed National and its coalition partners on 67 seats in a likely 130-seat Parliament, while the latest account lists National alone on 42 seats; the discrepancy remains unresolved. The result followed a campaign focused on the cost of living, unemployment, inflation and economic performance, amid historically low combined support for National and Labour. New Zealand’s mixed-member proportional system means governments usually depend on coalition agreements.