WELLINGTON — New Zealand’s prime minister Christopher Luxon has survived a second leadership showdown in four months, just 87 days out from the country’s general election due in November.
Talking to media after a three-hour meeting of his MPs in Wellington on Wednesday, the embattled leader said he had the full support of his party.
“There was a confidence vote in my leadership this morning at our caucus meeting, and I have the full support of our caucus,” Luxon said. “Our caucus is united, and it is determined to win this election.”
The confidence vote on Wednesday was held afterhis defense minister mounted a leadership challenge, exposing deepening fractures in the ruling National Party.
The bid by Chris Penk was the second public test of Luxon’s leadership this year, amplifying concerns over growing unrest in the center-right party as it struggles in opinion polls and fuelling fresh doubts about the prime minister’s grip on power ahead of the November 7 election.
Luxon moved swiftly after surviving the vote, sacking Penk from his defense, intelligence, space and building portfolios. The prime minister said Penk had instigated the leadership challenge, leaving his position “untenable”.
Luxon had called for an “urgent” meeting with his National Party caucus on Wednesday to address “increased speculation about [his] leadership”.
“I have the full support of our caucus… Our caucus is united, and it is determined to win this election,” he told reporters after the meeting which lasted more than three hours.
Luxon’s leadership had again come under scrutiny after a series of public missteps, including floating the idea of a possible referendum on New Zealand’s electoral system without consulting colleagues, and an appeal to a business audience to “be adult” rather than look to the government for help.
Earlier this month, the 56-year-old riled up New Zealand’s business community after a speech calling on small business owners to “be adult”. He said the country’s businesses had a “parent-child mentality” with the central government and relied too often on handouts.
He later apologized and acknowledged many were going through tough times.
The former Air New Zealand boss led his center-right party to victory in the 2023 elections vowing to bring down the cost of living and reduce taxes.
“My pledge to you is that our government will deliver for every New Zealander,” he said then.
A 1News Verian poll published on Wednesday put Luxon’s preferred-prime-minister rating at 17%, down 1 percentage point. He remained ahead of Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins, whose rating slipped one point to 15%.
Source: Saudi Gazette