WorldBBCNew Zealand election 2026: What you need to know
New Zealand heads to the polls on 7 November with cost of living, unemployment and healthcare the top issues and no clear frontrunner in sight.
Voters will elect a new parliament on 7 November with the cost of living among the key issues.
New Zealand is holding its 2026 general election on 7 November, with incumbent PM Christopher Luxon facing a strong challenge from Labour's Chris Hipkins.
No party has a clear lead in pre-election polls, and NZ elections rarely produce an outright majority, so a coalition government is the likely outcome.
Key battlegrounds include reducing living costs, healthcare, housing and a proposal from New Zealand First to restrict voting to citizens only.
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