New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party (Māori: Rōpū Nāhinara o Aotearoa),[4] shortened to National (Nāhinara)[5] or the Nats,[6] is a centre-right[7][8] New Zealand political party that is the current ruling party. It is one of two major parties that dominate contemporary New Zealand politics, alongside its traditional rival, the Labour Party.
New Zealand National Party Rōpū Nāhinara o Aotearoa
14 May 1936
41 Pipitea Street, Thorndon, Wellington 6011
"Get our country back on track"[3]
National formed in 1936 through amalgamation of conservative and liberal parties, Reform and United respectively, and subsequently became New Zealand's second-oldest extant political party.[9] National's predecessors had previously formed a coalition against the growing labour movement. National has governed for six periods during the 20th and 21st centuries, and has spent more time in government than any other New Zealand party.[10][11]
After the 1949 general election, Sidney Holland became the first prime minister from the National Party, and remained in office until 1957. Keith Holyoake succeeded Holland, and was defeated some months later at a general election by the Labour Party in 1957. Holyoake returned to office for a second period from 1960 to 1972. The party's platform shifted from moderate economic liberalism to increased emphasis on state interventionism during Robert Muldoon's National government from 1975 to 1984. In 1990, Jim Bolger formed another National government, which continued the radical free-market reforms initiated by the preceding Labour government. The party has since advocated free enterprise, reduction of taxes, and limited state regulation. Following the first MMP election in 1996, the National Party governed in a coalition with the populist New Zealand First Party. National Party leader Jenny Shipley became New Zealand's first female prime minister in 1997; her government was defeated by a Labour-led coalition in 1999.
The National Party was in government from 2008 to 2017 under John Key and Bill English; it governed with support from the centrist United Future, the classical-liberal ACT Party and the indigenous-rights-based Māori Party. In the 2017 general election, despite leaving government, the party secured 44.4 percent of the vote and won 56 seats, making it the largest caucus at the time in the House of Representatives.[12] It lost this plurality position in the 2020 general election, receiving only 25.58 percent of the vote and 33 seats. National was again unable to form a government following the election and remained the Official Opposition.
Christopher Luxon has served as the leader of the National Party since 30 November 2021.[13] He led the party to victory in the 2023 general election,[14] winning 38 percent of the party vote and a plurality with 48 seats.[15] Subsequently, since November 2023, Luxon heads a National-led coalition government with the ACT Party and New Zealand First.
