Key facts
- New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed he survived a leadership vote.
- The vote occurred privately during a National Party caucus meeting.
- Luxon stated he has the full support of his caucus.
- This is the second leadership vote Luxon has faced since April.
- The vote comes less than three months before the general election on November 7.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced on Wednesday that he had survived a leadership vote among his own party's lawmakers, just under three months before the general election scheduled for November 7. The vote was held privately during a hastily convened meeting of the center-right National Party's lawmakers at Parliament in Wellington. Following the vote, Luxon appeared with his lawmakers to issue a brief statement, declining to take questions from reporters. "There was a confidence vote in my leadership this morning at our caucus meeting," Luxon said. "I had the full support of our caucus and our caucus is united and it is determined to win this election." He did not disclose the vote count, which is typically conducted by secret ballot. This marks the second time Luxon has faced such a vote since April. The previous vote followed a dip in National Party polling, while the recent vote was prompted by some lawmakers' concerns over recent public remarks made by Luxon, which they perceived as missteps. On Tuesday, Luxon publicly acknowledged on social media the renewed discussions about his leadership and announced his intention to call a Wednesday meeting to resolve the matter. He expressed his belief that "division and disunity are a major distraction only 90 days out from the election," adding that such a distraction is unfair to the New Zealand people and party members when so much is at stake. The National Party has led New Zealand's coalition government since the 2023 election. Luxon, a former airline executive who entered Parliament in 2000, has led the party since 2021.