New Zealand PM survives leadership vote

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Tuesday that he had survived a vote on his leadership among his own party’s lawmakers, after recent slumps in the polls prompted speculation, he might be ousted.

The vote was held behind closed doors during a routine meeting of Luxon’s centre-right National Party lawmakers and was sought by the Prime Minister himself.

Luxon emerged afterwards to read a brief statement announcing the vote and departed without taking questions from reporters.

“Last week, there has been intense media speculation about my leadership,” Luxon said, adding that he had called for a confidence vote “to put that media speculation to rest.”

His party caucus had “answered clearly and decisively,” the Prime Minister said. “It has backed my leadership.” He did not say that the vote had been unanimous.

Nicola Willis, the party’s deputy leader, said later Tuesday that the vote had been a secret ballot with only scrutineers knowing the final tally, but that Luxon must have received a majority.

The confidence vote happened months ahead of New Zealand’s next national election, scheduled for November 7.

Recent drops in the polls for National had prompted speculation from analysts that he would face a leadership challenge.

That was seen by party lawmakers as an unwelcome distraction in an election year for National, which has governed New Zealand in a right-wing coalition Government since the 2023 vote.

 Luxon, a former airline executive who entered Parliament in 2000, has led the party since 2021.