Editing Politics of New Zealand (section)

== Legislature ==
{{Main|New Zealand Parliament}}
{{office-table|float=right}}
|[[Monarchy of New Zealand|King]]
|colspan=2|[[Charles III]]
|8 September 2022
|-
|[[Governor-General of New Zealand|Governor-General]]
|colspan=2|Dame [[Cindy Kiro]]
|21 October 2021
|-
|[[Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]]
|[[Gerry Brownlee]]
|[[New Zealand National Party|National]]
|5 December 2023
|-
|[[Leader of the House (New Zealand)|Leader of the House]]
|[[Chris Bishop]]
|National
|27 November 2023
|-
|}

Parliament is responsible for passing laws, adopting the [[New Zealand Budget|annual Budget]], and exercising control of the executive government.<ref>{{cite web |title = The business of Parliament in history |url = https://www.parliament.nz/en/visit-and-learn/how-parliament-works/fact-sheets/parl-in-history/ |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |access-date=8 May 2017 }}</ref> It currently has a [[unicameralism|single chamber]], the [[New Zealand House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]. Before 1951 there was a second chamber, the [[New Zealand Legislative Council|Legislative Council]].<ref>{{cite web |title = Legislative Council abolished |url = https://nzhistory.govt.nz/legislative-council-abolished |publisher=[[New Zealand History Online]] / [[Ministry for Culture and Heritage]]|website=nzhistory.govt.nz|access-date=8 May 2017|date=1 December 2016}}</ref> The House of Representatives meets in [[Parliament House, Wellington]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Chamber|url= https://www.parliament.nz/en/visit-and-learn/history-and-buildings/buildings-and-grounds/parliament-house/the-chamber/|publisher=New Zealand Parliament|access-date=8 September 2017|language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Parliament Buildings, Wellington (4484506063).jpg|thumb|left|alt=Edwardian neoclassical building in grey stone with classic colonnade entry on grand stairs|[[Parliament House, Wellington|Parliament House]] is the home of the House of Representatives.]]
Laws are first proposed to the House of Representatives as [[bill (law)|bills]]. They have to go through a process of approval by the House and governor-general before becoming [[acts of Parliament]] (i.e. [[Lists of statutes of New Zealand|statutory law]]).<ref>{{cite web |title = The Royal assent |url = https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/features-pre-2016/document/00NZPHomeNews031220091/the-royal-assent |website=parliament.nz |publisher = New Zealand Parliament |access-date=14 September 2019 |language=en |date=3 December 2009 }}</ref>

The [[legislator|lawmakers]] are called [[members of Parliament]], or MPs.<ref name="MPs">{{cite web |title=Members of Parliament |url = https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/ |website=parliament.nz |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |access-date=13 September 2019 |language=en-NZ }}</ref> Parliament is elected for a maximum term of three years, although an election may be called earlier in exceptional circumstances.<ref name="electoral_cycle">{{cite web |title = The electoral cycle |url = https://cabinetmanual.cabinetoffice.govt.nz/6.2 |work=[[Cabinet Manual (New Zealand)|Cabinet Manual]] |publisher=Cabinet Office |access-date=8 May 2017 |year = 2008 }}</ref> [[Suffrage]] is nearly universal for permanent residents eighteen years of age and older,<ref>{{cite web |title =  Electoral Act 1993 No 87 |url = http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0087/latest/DLM308839.html |publisher = Parliamentary Counsel Office |access-date = 17 September 2019 |date = 17 August 1993 }}</ref> women having gained the vote in {{NZ election link year|1893}}.<ref name="suffrage" /> As in many other parliamentary systems of government, the executive (called "the Government") is drawn from and is answerable to Parliament—for example, a successful [[motion of no confidence]] will force a government either to resign or to seek a [[parliamentary dissolution]] and an early [[general election]].<ref>{{cite web |title = Parties and Government |url = https://www.parliament.nz/en/visit-and-learn/how-parliament-works/parliamentary-practice-in-new-zealand/chapter-8-parties-and-government/ |website= parliament.nz |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |access-date=10 September 2019 |language=en-NZ }}</ref>

===Elections===
{{Further|Elections in New Zealand|Electoral system of New Zealand}}
Almost all parliamentary elections between {{NZ election link year|1853}} and {{NZ election link year|1996}} were held under the [[first-past-the-post voting|first past the post]] (FPP) [[electoral system]].<ref name="road">{{cite web |title = First past the post – the road to MMP |url = http://www.nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/fpp-to-mmp/first-past-the-post |publisher = New Zealand History Online |website=nzhistory.govt.nz |date=September 2009 |access-date=9 January 2011 }}</ref> Under FPP the candidate in a given [[New Zealand electorates|electorate]] (district) that received the most votes was elected to the House of Representatives. The only deviation from the FPP system during this time occurred in the {{NZ election link year|1908}} and {{NZ election link year|1911}} elections when a [[Two-round system|second-ballot]] system was used; the [[Second Ballot Act 1908|second-ballot legislation]] was repealed in 1913.<ref name="road" /> The elections since 1935 have been dominated by two [[political parties]], [[New Zealand National Party|National]] and [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour]].<ref name="road" />

Public criticism of the FPP system began in the 1950s and intensified after Labour lost elections in {{NZ election link year|1978}} and {{NZ election link year|1981}} despite having more overall votes than National.<ref name="elections">{{cite web |url = http://www.elections.org.nz/voting/mmp/history-mmp.html |title = From FPP to MMP |publisher=Elections New Zealand |access-date = 9 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101224153630/http://www.elections.org.nz/voting/mmp/history-mmp.html |archive-date=24 December 2010 }}</ref> An indicative (non-binding) referendum to [[Electoral reform in New Zealand|change the voting system]] was held in 1992, which led to a binding referendum during the {{NZ election link|1993}}.<ref name="elections" /> As a result, New Zealand has used the [[mixed-member proportional]] (MMP) system since 1996.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last = Roberts |first = Nigel S. |title = Electoral systems |url = http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/electoral-systems |encyclopedia = Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=8 May 2017 |date=February 2015 }}</ref> Under MMP, each member of Parliament is either directly elected by voters in a single-member district via FPP or appointed from their [[list MP|party's list]].<ref name="MPs" /> Parliament normally has 120 [[legislative seat|seats]],<ref name="MPs" /> though some elections have resulted in [[overhang seat|overhang]], as is currently the case ({{As of|December 2023|alt=as of December 2023}}).<ref>{{cite news |title=The $5m cost of Parliament's 3 overhang MPs – and how only 29% is salary |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/election-2023-the-cost-of-parliaments-three-seat-overhang-mps-and-how-only-29-is-salary/RYTY7BLHDZELFKAQ5WDJIMXLEI/ |access-date=17 December 2023 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=12 December 2023 |language=en-NZ}}</ref>  In the first eight elections under MMP, from 1996 to {{NZ election link year|2017}}, no party won a majority of seats.<ref name="Martin">{{cite encyclopedia |last1=Martin |first1=John E. |title=Impact of MMP |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/parliament/page-9 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=20 July 2023 |language=en-NZ |date=20 June 2012}}</ref>

[[Māori electorates|Seven electorates]] are [[reserved political positions|reserved]] for MPs elected on a separate [[Māori people|Māori]] roll. In 1967, the law was changed to allow Māori to stand for election in the general (non-reserved) electorates, resulting in many Māori entering Parliament outside of the reserved seats.<ref name="NZHistory2">{{cite web |title=Māori and the vote – Change in the 20th century |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/change-20th-century |website=nzhistory.govt.nz |publisher=[[New Zealand History Online]] |access-date=11 January 2025 |date=21 November 2024}}</ref> Since 1975, all Māori have had the option to enrol to vote in either the reserved Māori electorates or general electorates.<ref name="NZHistory2" /><ref>{{cite web |title = Māori Electoral Option |url = https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/what-is-an-electoral-roll/what-is-the-maori-electoral-option/ |publisher = New Zealand Electoral Commission |access-date=8 May 2017 }}</ref>

=== Party politics ===
{{Main|List of political parties in New Zealand}}
[[File:Nzelection2011 ballot4.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Ballot]] showing parties, [[2011 New Zealand general election|2011 general election]]]]
The first organised political party in New Zealand was founded in 1891, and its main rival was founded in 1909—New Zealand had a ''de facto'' [[two-party system]] from that point until the adoption of MMP in 1996.<ref name="parties">{{cite encyclopedia |last1=Curtin |first1=Jennifer |last2=Miller |first2=Raymond |author1-link=Jennifer Curtin |title=Political parties |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/political-parties |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=19 October 2022 |date=21 July 2015}}</ref> Since then New Zealand has been a multi-party system, with at least five parties elected in every general election since. By rarely producing an overall majority for one party, MMP also ensures that parties need to agree with other parties to pass laws.<ref>{{cite web |title = What is MMP? |url = https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/what-is-mmp/ |publisher=[[Electoral Commission]] |access-date = 13 September 2019 }}</ref> In the late 1990s, a phenomenon called "[[waka-jumping]]" emerged as MPs increasingly switched their party allegiance while in Parliament, prompting the implementation of a 2001 law mandating the resignation of waka-jumping MPs; this legislation expired in 2005, but a renewed effort to prevent waka-jumping emerged with the passage of the [[Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Act 2018]].<ref name="Martin"/>

Historically the two largest, and oldest, parties are the [[New Zealand Labour Party]] (formed in 1916) and the [[New Zealand National Party]] (formed in 1936).<ref name="parties"/> Labour has generally positioned itself as [[centre-left]] in New Zealand politics,<ref name="Papillon">{{cite book |last1= Papillon |first1= Martin |last2= Turgeon |first2= Luc |last3= Wallner |first3= Jennifer |last4= White |first4= Stephen |title= Comparing Canada: Methods and Perspectives on Canadian Politics |year = 2014 |publisher=UBC Press |isbn= 9780774827867 |page = 126 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=WpU8BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA126 |access-date= 30 August 2016 |quote= ...in New Zealand politics, by the centre-left Labour Party and the centre-right National Party }}</ref> and has featured [[socialism in New Zealand|socialist (historically)]] and [[social-democratic]] principles in its platform and legislation,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Aimer |first=Peter |title=Labour Party: Ideology and the role of unions|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/labour-party/page-5 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand|date=1 June 2015|access-date=19 October 2022}}</ref> while National has generally positioned itself as [[centre-right]],<ref name="Papillon"/> and has [[liberalism|liberal]] and [[conservative]] tendencies.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title= National Party: Party principles |author-link=Colin James (journalist) |first=Colin |last=James |url= http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/national-party/page-4 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |date=13 December 2016 |access-date=19 October 2022}}</ref> Other smaller parties represented in Parliament, following the {{as of|2023|lc=on|alt=October 2023 general election}}, are the [[ACT New Zealand|ACT Party]] (right-wing, [[classical-liberal]] and [[Conservatism|conservative]]), the [[Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand|Green Party]] (left-wing, [[green politics]]), [[New Zealand First]] (right-wing, [[populism in New Zealand|populist]] and [[nationalist]]), and [[Te Pāti Māori]] (left-wing, [[Māori rights]]-based).<ref>{{cite web |title = Parliamentary parties |url = https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/political-parties/ |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |access-date=31 October 2020 |language=en-NZ }}</ref>

Parties must register with the [[Electoral Commission (New Zealand)|Electoral Commission]] in order to contest the [[party vote]] in an election.<ref>{{cite web |title = Register of political parties |url = https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/political-parties-in-new-zealand/register-of-political-parties |publisher=Electoral Commission |access-date=17 September 2019 }}</ref>

The table below summarises the [[Results of the 2023 New Zealand general election|results of the latest general election]].
{{#section:Results of the 2023 New Zealand general election|Results}}

==== Party funding ====
{{Main|Political funding in New Zealand}}

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of [[political party funding]] as a public policy concern. To address this, specific regulations have been implemented to set limits on foreign donations, ensuring that they do not exceed NZ$50<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 December 2019 |title=New Zealand bans foreign political donations amid interference concerns |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/03/new-zealand-bans-foreign-political-donations-amid-interference-concerns |website=[[the Guardian]]|access-date=19 July 2023}}</ref> and placing restrictions on anonymous donations, which are limited to a maximum of NZ$1,500. These limitations aim to promote transparency and accountability in the political process by curbing the potential influence of foreign and anonymous contributions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Donations protected from disclosure|url=https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/political-parties-in-new-zealand/donations-protected-from-disclosure/|access-date=10 July 2023|website=elections.nz|language=en-NZ}}</ref>