New Zealand election leaves Luxon bloc with razor-thin lead as markets await final votes

Nov 8, 2026 01:40 (1d ago)

Preliminary results put Luxon’s National-led bloc at 67 of New Zealand Parliament’s 131 seats, while National alone was reported with 42 seats.
Nearly 400,000 votes, about 15% of the total, remained uncounted before official results due November 27.
The New Zealand dollar rose to $0.556, while the NZX 50 fell 0.2% to 13,974 amid coalition uncertainty.

New Zealand’s incumbent centre-right bloc held a narrow advantage after preliminary results from the November 7 general election, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s National Party, ACT New Zealand and New Zealand First reported together at 67 of Parliament’s 131 seats, one above the 66 needed for a majority. A separate party-level tally put National at 42 seats and opposition Labour at 36, with neither party holding an outright majority. Nearly 400,000 votes, or about 15% of the total, remained uncounted before official results due November 27, leaving open the possibility of a hung Parliament or a narrow opposition victory. The New Zealand dollar rose to $0.556 as National’s coalition prospects strengthened, while the NZX 50 fell 25 points, or 0.2%, to 13,974. Luxon and Labour leader Chris Hipkins said they would wait for the final count before formal coalition negotiations.