NZ awaits Peters' pick of the parties

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - The leaders of the main parties prepared on Sunday to start talks with Winston Peters, the leader of a nationalist party who emerged as kingmaker after an inconclusive general election, but Peters indicated he was in no rush to pick a side.

Prime Minister Bill English's National Party won the largest number of votes in Saturday's general election, securing a comfortable margin over the Labour opposition after what had shaped as one of the closest votes in recent history.

But it was Peters and his often controversial New Zealand First Party who emerged in a position of power, with both National and Labour needing his support to form a government under New Zealand's proportional representation system.

The National Party, which has been in power for a decade, secured 46 percent of the vote, while Labour had 35.8 percent and New Zealand First 7.5 percent. A final tally, including overseas votes, will be released on Oct 7.

The results so far secured 58 seats for National in the 120-seat parliament and 45 for Labour. New Zealand First has nine seats and the Green Party has seven.

Labour and the Greens already have a working agreement, with Labour leader Jacinda Ardern potentially in a position to form a coalition government with 61 seats if she wins Peters' support - the bare minimum needed.

Peters, who has served in previous Labour and National governments, appeared to be in no hurry. He told reporters on Sunday he had not yet received any calls from National or Labour, and had not contacted them.

The rugby-loving former foreign minister has in the past backed the party that won the most votes but said he was discussing options with members of his own party.

Asked how long it might be before he made a decision, Peters, a lawyer of Maori and Scottish descent, said: "How long before I pick you up and throw you into the water over there?"

Analysts saw English and his National Party as the clear favorites to form the next government.

"I think it's fairly obvious that it will be a National-New Zealand First government," said Grant Duncan, associate professor at Massey University.

Reuters

(China Daily 09/25/2017 page11)