The Political Situation in New Zealand

Dead heat ahead of New Zealand election

It is a dead heat heading into Saturday’s parliamentary election in New Zealand, AFP reports. High costs of living and a weak economy have defined the election campaign. A final poll gives Labour a narrow lead.

“It’s one of the closest elections, and one of the hardest to predict, in my entire career,” David Capie, a professor of political science, told the news agency. The small centrist Opportunity Party looks set to enter parliament for the first time and could hold the balance of power.

Polling stations close on Saturday morning, Swedish time.

Eloquent 38-year-old’s meteoric rise challenges major parties

Support for the two parties that have dominated New Zealand politics for nearly 100 years has plummeted ahead of Saturday’s election, CNN reports. Neither the National Party nor the Labour Party is polling above 30 percent. Instead, many voters have turned their attention to the small centrist Opportunity Party.

The party is led by 38-year-old Qiulae Wong, a former sustainability consultant who only became politically active a year ago. Described as eloquent, she is campaigning on a platform that supports both the business community and the climate. Her success has been compared to the sudden political breakthrough of former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the *NZ Herald* writes.

If the Opportunity Party clears the 5 percent threshold, it will mark the first time in 30 years that a new party has been elected to parliament. Furthermore, the party would likely hold the balance of power.