New Zealand PM Luxon holds resolve as polling support tumbles
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been facing questions recently about whether he has the support of his party.
PHOTO: REUTERS
DeeperDive is a beta AI feature. Refer to full articles for the facts.
WELLINGTON – New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he is not contemplating stepping down ahead of November’s election as opinion polls show support for him and his National Party slumping.
National support dropped to 30 per cent – the lowest since November 2021 when Mr Luxon became leader, according to a 1News Verian poll published on April 19.
The centre-right party trails the main opposition Labour Party by 7 percentage points and, even with coalition partners, would be unable to command a majority in Parliament.
Mr Luxon’s own score as preferred prime minister fell to 16 per cent, fanning speculation his personal rating with the public is eroding support for the government and that National needs a new leader if it is to win the Nov 7 vote.
“Not everybody wants to invite me over for a barbecue,” he told RNZ on Monday when asked about his personal rating, adding that his colleagues “know that there’s a lot more work for us to do as a National Party team”.
The New Zealand Herald reported last week that a number of National’s backbench lawmakers – who would potentially be ousted if the party’s polling does not improve – were dissatisfied and may be prepared to back a leadership challenge.
However, a number of senior party members have publicly said they support Mr Luxon.
He told 1News Breakfast on April 20 that he would not be stepping aside and that he has the full support of his caucus.
“It’s just not what I’m contemplating,” he said. “There will be a very small handful of understandably disgruntled backbench MPs; that is normal in any party. I understand that frustration.”
As a party, National “needs to do better” and that includes improving how it communicates its policies and explaining how it is the better economic manager – particularly in a time of crisis, Mr Luxon said.
“We are going through some really challenging times, as is the whole world,” he said.
“What’s needed at this point is someone who understands that economy, can deliver a strong economic message and get New Zealand through these troubled times.”
Under New Zealand’s proportional voting system, coalition governments are the norm.
National currently leads a centre-right government alongside New Zealand First and the ACT Party, while Labour is backed by the Green Party and Te Pati Maori.
The centre right had 47 per cent support and would win just 58 seats in the 120-seat Parliament, based on the 1News Verian poll. BLOOMBERG
