New Zealand: Christopher Luxon claims election victory after incumbent PM Chris Hipkins concedes defeat

New Zealanders, on Saturday (Oct 14), voted for a change placing conservative former businessman Christopher Luxon in the position to be the next prime minister of the country.

Incumbent Prime Minister and Labour leader Chris Hipkins conceded his defeat and said that his party's six years in power were over.

Hipkins, who replaced two-term leader Jacinda Ardern in January 2023, released a statement saying that he was "not in a position to form a government".

"The result tonight is not one that any of us wanted, but I want you to be proud of what we achieved over the last six years," Hipkins told Labour supporters in Wellington.

The National Party and its coalition partner ACT were projected to win 62 seats with 85 per cent of the vote tallied, which was sufficient to secure a majority in New Zealand's 120-seat parliament.

Luxon, a former airline executive, said New Zealanders had "reached for hope and voted for change".

The election campaign was predominantly around New Zealand's soaring economic crisis and an increase in the cost of living.

"My pledge to you is that National will deliver for every New Zealander," Luxon said, promising to "build the economy and deliver tax relief".

"We will bring down the cost of living. We will restore law and order. We will deliver better health care and we will educate our children so that they can grow up to live the lives they dream of."

Luxon and Hipkins, during their election campaign, tried to woo voters by promising to reduce rising petrol prices, improve the issue of housing shortage and limit the growing prices of staple foods.

The Labour Party, which won under Ardern in 2020, was on its way to suffering one of its gravest election defeats with forecasts pointing to 34 seats.

"Following on from my good friend Jacinda, it was not going to be an easy task," Hipkins admitted.

"I did know when I took on this job that it was going to be an uphill battle."

(With inputs from agencies)

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