Early results show National and Labour close in New Zealand election

Early results from New Zealand's general election show National and Labour close, with the Opportunity party above the 5 percent threshold for entering Parliament under the mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system.

Voting closed at 7pm on Saturday, 7 November. Preliminary results were due to be released progressively from soon after that time.

RNZ's live coverage of the count described Labour and National as level in the early count. The Guardian's live coverage, reporting with 8 percent of the vote counted, put National on 31.2 percent and Labour on 28.4 percent.

The same early figures had the Greens on 12.9 percent and ACT on 11.2 percent, according to the Guardian. The Guardian and the BBC both reported NZ First on 9.6 percent and Opportunity on 5.7 percent.

These figures are preliminary and reflect only the part of the vote counted so far. Voting began on 26 October, according to the Korea Times.

Elections NZ's candidate and party lists show that 17 registered political parties contested the election, with 530 candidates standing.