The full results of New Zealand Parliament elections-2023, after the counting of special votes are out now and people of New Zealand have given a fractured mandate to a three parties coalition to form the next government. Though the outcome is not at all unexpected but be prepared New Zealanders, your next three years will be full of chaos, woes, and drama. By not giving a clear majority to the coalition of National and ACT party, the king maker Winston Peters will be all smiles today and he surely has a big role to play in the new government.
It is pity that National and Act party lost the majority after the special vote count and now they can’t form the government without support from New Zealand First Party. ACT Party leader David Seymour and NZ First leader Winston Peters don’t see each other eye to eye and are always at loggerhead on many important issues, so it will be interesting to see how Christopher Luxon is going to do balancing act for next three years. National Party had already sensed the mood of public a couple of months ago hence Christopher Luxon had toyed the idea of a possible support from New Zealand First after the elections much before the final outcome of today. The biggest winner and the
surprise outcome of this election is Te Pati Maori Party and Green Party while Labour Party is a certain loser. Historically, such fractured outcomes anywhere in the world have not gone in favour of the same people who like to vote that way but in a democracy, anything is possible and any mandate should be respected.
Today when the situation around the world is so volatile and geopolitical situation is very fragile, New Zealand needs a strong government to put its viewpoint to the world. Unfortunately, it may not happen in the present situation now as three different parties will have possible clashes on many important national and international issues. This will not be an ideal situation for New Zealand which is already marred high inflation, cost of living crisis, worsening law and order situation and rising unemployment in the country. Hope all our doubts and apprehensions prove wrong and the nation march on the path of recovery and development at the soonest. – Yugal Parashar