Incoming New Zealand's Conservative PM Christopher Luxon to form three-party coalition government

After failing to achieve an absolute majority in the election, New Zealand’s incoming conservative prime minister stated he intended to create a coalition administration with liberal and populist parties. In last month’s elections, Christopher Luxon’s National party won 48 seats in the country’s 123-seat parliament, putting it in need of assistance to create a governing majority. The former airline businessman, 53, said coalition discussions will take place on Saturday and Sunday with the liberal ACT and populist New Zealand First parties. “It’s good to have final clarity. Now we can get cracking,” Luxon told reporters at parliament in Wellington, refusing to put a timeframe on a coalition deal. “We are working constructively with both parties. We are going to come together and form a strong, stable government,” he added. It is unclear if New Zealand will be able to form a government in time for the Asia-Pacific Leaders Summit in San Francisco in mid-November. The National Party has pledged measures such as a ban on smartphones in schools, a crackdown on crime, and the cancellation of scheduled fuel price rises in its first 100 days in government. In an election on October 14, New Zealand voters terminated the six-year reign of the centre-left Labour administration. Chris Hipkins, who took over as Prime Minister in January when Jacinda Ardern resigned, acknowledged defeat only hours after the elections ended.