New Zealand's election is too close to call, with National and Labour level on the party vote
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says his National Party has a path to keep governing, but Labour has not conceded. Hundreds of thousands of special votes still need counting, and the new Opportunity Party is headed into Parliament.
Key takeaways
- With 98.5% of votes counted, National and Labour each had 29.3% of the party vote, RNZ reported.
- The Opportunity Party won about 6% and is on track for 7 seats, its first time in Parliament.
- The official result, including special and overseas votes, is due November 27, 2026.
New Zealand's general election on Saturday, November 7, ended without a clear winner. With 98.5% of votes counted, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's National Party and Chris Hipkins' Labour Party each held 29.3% of the party vote, RNZ reported. Luxon said National had a way to form the next government but called the result too close to call. Labour has not conceded.
How do the provisional seats break down?
RNZ's provisional count gave Labour 35 seats, the Greens 16 (13.3%), ACT 13 (10.9%), New Zealand First 12 (9.8%) and the Opportunity Party 7 (about 6%). Opportunity cleared the 5% threshold and would enter Parliament for the first time. National and Te Pāti Māori won more electorate seats than their party vote earns, creating a 10-seat overhang. National and Labour's combined 58.6% is the lowest for the two big parties since the mixed-member system began in 1996, RNZ said.
Early in the count, the Electoral Commission's figures showed Luxon's three-party coalition with National, ACT and NZ First holding a one-seat majority, Al Jazeera reported.
Which senior ministers lost out?
Several of National's most senior figures may not return. RNZ reported that Finance Minister Nicola Willis, who ran on the list only, has no path back; Paul Goldsmith lost Epsom to ACT leader David Seymour; and Chris Bishop lost Hutt South and conceded. Together the three held 19 ministerial portfolios, including finance, justice, transport and housing.
What happens next
Luxon said about 300,000 special votes still had to be counted, while the Electoral Commission had forecast around 700,000, RNZ reported. Votes are counted by hand, and the final result is due November 27. Luxon said he would lead a caretaker government until then, according to Al Jazeera. Former minister Peter Dunne told Al Jazeera that coalition talks could take weeks and that Parliament must sit by early January.
Sources
- RNZ, “'Too close to call': Wait begins for special votes after cliffhanger Election night,” November 8, 2026 (NZ time)
- Al Jazeera, “Two main parties neck and neck after New Zealand vote, near complete count,” November 7, 2026
Written by Action Global News from the sources above; quotations are attributed to the outlet that published them. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.
Frequently asked
Who won the 2026 New Zealand election?
No winner was clear on election night. National and Labour each had 29.3% of the party vote with 98.5% counted, and the official result is due November 27, 2026.
Is the Opportunity Party in Parliament?
On the provisional count it won about 6% of the party vote, above the 5% threshold, which would give it 7 seats.