Well there you have it the new NZ Conservative National govt
has lost its majority and will have to negotiate with Winston
Peters NZ First Party if it is to remain in govt. Labour has made
unprecedented gains at the expense of mainly the Maori Party
and won back many seats, however not more than the Nationals.
The only way Labour can form a govt is if it formed a three way
alliance with NZ First and the Greens. That would give Labor a majority.
"WELLINGTON, Sept 23 (Reuters) - New Zealand National Party leader Bill English said on Saturday the New Zealand First Party would play a role in determining the next government after a hotly contested parliamentary election.
National, which was set to win the largest share of the vote, would start speaking with New Zealand First "in the next few days", English said from his party's campaign function in Auckland.
Votes cast for the National Party reached 46.1 percent with 98.6 percent of results counted by the Electoral Commission, while the opposition Labour Party won 35.8 percent support.
Each Party would likely need New Zealand First's support to form a government, based on those results.
The final result that includes overseas votes will not be released until Oct. 7.”
