Changes

In October 1990, the National Party again formed the government, for the first of three 3-year terms. In 1996, New Zealand inaugurated a mixed-member proportional (MMP) system to elect its parliament. The system was designed to increase representation of smaller parties in parliament and appears to have done so in the MMP elections to date. Since 1996, neither the National nor the Labour Party has had an absolute majority in parliament, and for all but one of those years, the government has been a minority one. The Labour Party won elections in November 1999 and again in July 2002. In 2002 Labour formed a coalition, minority government with the Progressive Coalition, an economically left-wing but socially conservative party holding two seats in parliament. The government relied on support from the centrist United Future Party to pass legislation.  

In October 1990, the National Party again formed the government, for the first of three 3-year terms. In 1996, New Zealand inaugurated a mixed-member proportional (MMP) system to elect its parliament. The system was designed to increase representation of smaller parties in parliament and appears to have done so in the MMP elections to date. Since 1996, neither the National nor the Labour Party has had an absolute majority in parliament, and for all but one of those years, the government has been a minority one. The Labour Party won elections in November 1999 and again in July 2002. In 2002 Labour formed a coalition, minority government with the Progressive Coalition, an economically left-wing but socially conservative party holding two seats in parliament. The government relied on support from the centrist United Future Party to pass legislation.  

 

Following a narrow victory in the September 2005 general elections, Labour formed a coalition with the one-seat Progressive Party. The government also entered into limited support agreements with the United Future New Zealand and NZ First Parties, whose leaders were respectively given the Revenue and Foreign Affairs ministerial positions outside of the cabinet. This gave Labour an effective one-seat majority with which to pass legislation in parliament. Labour also secured an assurance from the Green Party that it will abstain from a vote of confidence against the government. The 2005 elections saw the new Māori Party win four out of the seven reserved Māori seats. There are 121 current members of parliament, the additional seat the result of an overhang from 2005 elections. There are currently two independent members of parliament (MPs): a former Labour Party MP and a former United Future New Zealand MP, both of whom left their respective parties in 2007. The general election held in November 2008 resulted in a Minority National government led by John Key. In the election of November 2011 it resulted in the reelection of the minority National government, with confidence and supply agreements with the Māori party, ACT New Zealand and United Future. The elections of 2014 saw National gain a greater majority of the vote than it had in the previous 2 elections - something unheard of before in New Zealand politics. John Key was now the most popular Prime Minister New Zealand has ever had and his ability to lead a stable, scandal free, government while achieving economic and social success stories are the envy of other governments. He stood down in December 2016 and was replaced by Bill English.

Following a narrow victory in the September 2005 general elections, Labour formed a coalition with the one-seat Progressive Party. The government also entered into limited support agreements with the United Future New Zealand and NZ First Parties, whose leaders were respectively given the Revenue and Foreign Affairs ministerial positions outside of the cabinet. This gave Labour an effective one-seat majority with which to pass legislation in parliament. Labour also secured an assurance from the Green Party that it will abstain from a vote of confidence against the government. The 2005 elections saw the new Māori Party win four out of the seven reserved Māori seats. There are 121 current members of parliament, the additional seat the result of an overhang from 2005 elections. There are currently two independent members of parliament (MPs): a former Labour Party MP and a former United Future New Zealand MP, both of whom left their respective parties in 2007. The general election held in November 2008 resulted in a Minority National government led by John Key. In the election of November 2011 it resulted in the reelection of the minority National government, with confidence and supply agreements with the Māori party, ACT New Zealand and United Future. The elections of 2014 saw National gain a greater majority of the vote than it had in the previous 2 elections - something unheard of before in New Zealand politics. John Key was now the most popular Prime Minister New Zealand has ever had and his ability to lead a stable, scandal free, government while achieving economic and social success stories are the envy of other governments. He stood down in December 2016 and was replaced by Bill English.