Jacinda Ardern to be New Zealand's next prime minister after Labour coalition deal

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Guardian

Jacinda Ardern is set to become New Zealand’s next prime minister 26 days after the country’s electorate cast their votes.

Kingmaker Winston Peters announced at an eagerly awaited press conference on Thursday that his New Zealand First Party will throw its support behind Ardern’s Labour party.

This will allow Labour to form a coalition government with NZ First and with the backing of the Greens 37-year-old Ardern becomes New Zealand’s third female prime minister.
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A Labour government has pledged to wipe out child poverty, make tertiary education free, reduce immigration by 20-30,000, decriminalise abortion, introduce a water tax, make all rivers swimmable within ten years.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/19/jacinda-ardern-new-zealand-prime-minister-labour-coalition-deal-winston-peters

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Live updating page: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/oct/19/new-zealand-election-winston-peters-prime-minister-bill-english-jacinda-ardern-live

English conceded defeat but added that with 44.4% of the vote and 56 seats in the 120-strong parliament – the largest single party – National would be the strongest opposition the country had ever seen. He batted away questions over his future as leader after the second time he has taken his party to electoral defeat.

Ardern confirmed that NZ First’s nine MPs would have four cabinet roles and one junior role outside cabinet, though details of portfolios will be published next week. She said Peters was considering whether to accept her offer to become deputy PM.
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Greens leader James Shaw said his delegates were voting tonight on the agreement, which would give the party three ministerial roles and an under-secretarial position – the first time the Greens would be in government – and said he was “very confident” it would go ahead.

Ardern said the three parties had more in common than the issues that divided them, citing as priorities affordable housing and restricting foreign ownership of homes; a manned re-entry of the Pike River mine; “a period of renegotiation” on the TPP; a possible alternative site for Auckland’s port (a key Winston Peters concern) and protection of rivers.

NZ First is a populist nationalist party; the election result made it inevitable they'd be the deciding partner in a coalition. Shame that they have that power, but I guess a coalition led by the left is better than the centre-right leading one also containing NZ First.

[Ken Burch]

1. Abortion is currently a crime in New Zealand? Jesus!

I thought we were the ones with the crazy "Christians".

Glad that's going to change. Glad to see the end-of-child poverty pledge as well.