New Zealand's election is close, with minor parties in the mix
New Zealand votes on Saturday 7 November, and The Guardian describes the race as very close. In its Full Story podcast, published on Tuesday 27 October, New Zealand correspondent Eva Corlett speaks with Matilda Boseley about minor parties that could hold power.
Prime Minister Luxon called the election in January. His centre-right National Party leads the governing coalition and faces Labour, the main opposition party. Advance voting started on Monday 26 October.
Polling points to a tight contest. Reuters reported a 1News-Verian poll published on 20 October, which put National on 32% and Labour on 27%. A New Zealand Herald poll reported on 19 October had Labour on 29.7% and National on 27.6%. The same poll put the Opportunity Party at 5.4%, which the Herald described as a potential kingmaker, meaning a party whose support could decide which side forms government.
Voting places are open from 9.00am to 7.00pm on election day, and voting closes at 7pm on Saturday 7 November.
Healthcare is also high on the list of concerns. According to the Ipsos NZ Issues Monitor for September 2026, 44% of people in New Zealand name healthcare as their top concern, second only to the cost of living.
The Guardian's reporting describes stretched emergency departments, waits of months to see a family doctor, delayed cancer treatment and specialist care that is hard to access. Critics say chronic underfunding of the health system, exposed during the Covid pandemic, has grown worse under the National-led coalition.
Among recent high-profile incidents, a man died after collapsing in the toilets of a hospital emergency department, following a nine-hour wait at one of New Zealand's biggest hospitals. In Nelson, there are 17 fewer nurses than three years ago. Surgical wards there were run from an earthquake-prone building that had been earmarked for replacement at least a decade ago.
Many New Zealand nurses and doctors are moving to Australia, where pay could be up to 30% higher.
