No clear winner in tight New Zealand election

New Zealand remains without a clear winner following a tightly contested general election that saw National and Labour finish neck-and-neck. With over 99% of ballots counted, preliminary figures indicate that support for the two main parties has reached a historic low, capturing a combined vote share of approximately 60%.

The electoral commission is scheduled to release the official results on 27 November. This period will include the processing of special votes, which consist of ballots cast outside a voter's home electorate, including those from overseas, according to experts.

During the count, other political entities including the Greens, ACT, New Zealand First, the centrist Opportunity Party, and Te Pāti Māori also vied for seats. The Opportunity Party, led by Qiulae Wong, surpassed the 5% threshold required to enter parliament for the first time. As a potential kingmaker, the party remains open to negotiations with either major bloc, though leaders stated they would prioritise discussions with the party securing the most seats.

Professor Andrew Geddis of the University of Otago, an expert in election law, noted that the Opportunity Party acts as a "wildcard player" that could "determine which bloc of parties is able to govern". He added: "It will come down to some very fine vote margins not just between the parties, but in individual electorates. We are going to have to wait for the special votes to be processed and counted over the next three weeks."

Addressing supporters at the Opportunity watch party, Wong stated: "We believe that we can change the way we do politics to focus on the future, on the next generation, and on finding common ground." Meanwhile, the Greens, who have suggested that the nation's two largest supermarkets should be forced to divest stores to establish publicly-owned shops, recorded a rise in their vote share by a couple of percentage points.

Labour leader Hipkins acknowledged the situation, stating: "The people have spoken," and adding: "It may take a bit longer to work out what they've said". He further remarked that the election outcome signals that the "next parliament is going to require all of us to compromise, to work together and to find a common ground".

Luxon expressed pride in his colleagues during a speech, noting: "whatever the final count, we are incredibly proud of each and everyone for you". He also congratulated Hipkins on a "very hard-fought race".