New Zealand faces weeks of political uncertainty after a close general election left the governing coalition narrowly ahead but without a guaranteed path to retaining power.
With 99% of votes counted, National, ACT and NZ First were projected to secure 67 seats in an expanded 131-seat Parliament, while Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori were expected to hold 56 seats between them.
The Opportunity Party, projected to enter Parliament with seven seats, could become crucial to determining the next government, despite National leader Christopher Luxon previously ruling out cooperation.
The election also produced significant casualties for National, with senior figures Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith and Gerry Brownlee facing departure from Parliament.
With special votes still outstanding and the final results not expected until November 27, the government will remain in caretaker mode while political parties await the confirmed numbers before beginning negotiations. Special votes could change the allocation of seats, while electorate results and overhang seats could alter the final size of Parliament.
