@kathleen Hi, I don’t know a lot about NZ politics, I do know that they weren’t as enamoured with Jacinta as the rest of the world was. They voted Labour in with a majority but they didn’t feel they had performed well and the cost of living and housing costs etc (like the rest of the world) so it was probably more for a change to see what the National party could do to help rather than a lurch to right.
They have the MMP system of government so National will have to join with another party ACT to work as a coalition to have the majority in the Government. Labour didn’t win enough seats to do that so they will be in opposition. The voting isn’t complete yet so they may need to have a third party to join the coalition as well. Most of their governments have been coalitions between different parties, the election before when labour won a majority in their own right was the first time something like that had happened and it appears they may have squandered that majority by not delivering what they had promised and were punished.
If National don’t deliver better outcomes for the majority of Kiwis they may be gone next election.
Regards to all
@matildagirl Thanks, I read the article and appreciate your sharing your thoughts. I was saddened and disappointed by Jacinda's sudden departure, but hoped that Labour could step up and meet the needs of its citizens. Appears like the effects of pandemic and isolation took its toll. Being an American, I am unfortunately unused to flexible approaches to governing, so I respect countries that have the agility to move more quickly to effect improvements. No doubt New Zealanders are fed up with high costs, but they also seem fair-minded about equal rights. Is my take about right, or, do you feel otherwise?
@kathleen Hi Kathleen, I don’t live in NZ but go each year to visit family over there. Part of Labours loss is also attributed to their push for co governance with Māori and also the push for changing place names and possibly even the country’s name and bringing in Te Reo (the language) basically going to far to fast on that sort of thing rather than the helping business hit so badly with Covid, Cyclone Gabrielle, the nurse shortages, the housing crisis, wages and jobs, the stuff that actually matters to people’s well-being.
As everywhere no matter what country on earth you live there is alway predjudice of some kind, they aren’t immune but probably better than most.
Regards
Matildagirl
@matildagirl Yes, I can see how the train just went too fast for everyone to get on board, lol!
@kathleen Hi, you might be interested in this. Another difference to Americas system.
The final vote and therefore the official election results won’t be announced until November 3. So why does it take an extra three weeks from election day for the official results to be known?
Regards
Matildagirl
@matildagirl Thanks! It appears that the local electorates do the counting and recounting of the votes in this system, a good thing, and similar to how it's done in the US. However, I can't imagine how NZ's thorough process would work in the US given the melodrama that has followed our recent elections :)
@14mamajo I noticed that for the first time that the NZ first party had gained a sizeable foothold in the newly forming party. Seems like this conservative dynamic is seeping into even the most progressive of countries. Let me know if I got this wrong.
Hi Kathleen
Here is an article on Winston Peters the founder and leader of NZFirst. The comeback kid.
Auckland | One thing’s certain in New Zealand politics – you can never discount Winston Peters.
The 78-year-old populist has done it again, leading his New Zealand First Party back into parliament in Saturday’s election, with 6.5 per cent of the vote and eight lawmakers. It’s the third time in his 44-year career that Peters has returned from the political wilderness.
Regards
Matildagirl