New Zealand election leaves no winner, coalition talks ahead
What's next: Official results are due Nov. 27, with National on 42 seats and Labour on 36 in a fragmented parliament.
New Zealand's general election ended without a clear winner, leaving party leaders to prepare for coalition talks while official results are finalized. Preliminary returns showed Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's center-right National Party as the largest group with 42 seats, still 19 short of a majority. Labour, led by Chris Hipkins, won 36 seats. The Greens were projected to take 16 seats, ACT 13, New Zealand First 12, the Opportunity Party 7 and Te Pāti Māori 5. Luxon said he would continue in a caretaker role until the Electoral Commission releases final results on Nov. 27. More than 99% of votes had been counted, but neither major bloc had secured a governing majority in a parliament shaped by concerns over the cost of living and unemployment.