Editing Politics of New Zealand (section)

==Executive Government==
{{Further|New Zealand Government}}
[[File:SIF-Beehive-3-Cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=A circular, latticed building resembling a natural beehive (skep).|The [[Beehive (New Zealand)|Beehive]] is the seat of the New Zealand Government.]]

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Main office-holders
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 | image1            = King Charles III (July 2023).jpg
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 | caption1          = The [[King of New Zealand]]:<br />'''[[Charles III]]'''<br />since<br />{{nowrap|8 September 2022}}

 | image2            = Cindy Kiro Jan 2023 (cropped).jpg
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 | caption2          = The [[Governor-General of New Zealand]]:<br />'''[[Dame Cindy Kiro]]'''<br />since<br />{{nowrap|21 October 2021}}

 | image3            = Prime Minister Marin in New Zealand 1.12.2022 (52535372229) (cropped).jpg
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 | caption3          = The [[Prime Minister of New Zealand]]:<br />'''[[Christopher Luxon]]'''<br />since<br />{{nowrap|27 November 2023}}

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King [[Charles III]] is New Zealand's [[sovereign]] and [[head of state]].<ref name=EIIR2.1>{{Citation| last=Elizabeth II| author-link=Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom| date=13 December 1986| title=Constitution Act 1986| series=2.1| location=Wellington| publisher=Queen's Printer for New Zealand| url=http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0114/latest/whole.html#dlm94204| access-date=30 December 2009| ref=CITEREF_Elizabeth_II_1986}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=New Zealand's new Sovereign: King Charles III |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/visit-and-learn/history-and-buildings/special-topics/the-demise-of-the-crown/new-zealand-s-new-sovereign-king-charles-iii/ |website=www.parliament.nz |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |access-date=10 February 2023 |language=en-NZ |date=9 September 2022}}</ref> The New Zealand monarchy has been legally distinct from the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|British monarchy]] following the [[Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947]], and all Charles III's official business in New Zealand is conducted in the name of the "[[Monarchy of New Zealand|King of New Zealand]]".{{sfn|Boyce|2008|p=172}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Peaslee|first1=Amos J.|title=Constitutions of Nations|date=1985|publisher=Nijhoff.|location=Dordrecht|isbn=9789024729050|page=882|edition=Rev. 4th|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1YDkjh7p-xYC&pg=PA882|access-date=7 May 2017}}</ref> The King's role is largely ceremonial, and his residual powers—called collectively the "[[royal prerogative]]"—are mostly exercised through the government of the day. These include the power to enact [[legislation]], to sign treaties and to declare war.<ref name="Cox">{{cite journal|last1=Cox|first1=Noel|title=The Royal Prerogative in the Realms|journal=Commonwealth Law Bulletin|volume=33|issue=4|pages=611–638|doi=10.1080/03050710701814839|date=1 December 2007 |url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/ALRS/2007/7.html|publisher=ALTA Law Research Series |s2cid=143050540|access-date=30 April 2017}}</ref>

Since the King is not usually resident in New Zealand,<ref>{{cite web |title=The Queen's constitutional and public ceremonial roles |url=https://gg.govt.nz/office-governor-general/roles-and-functions-governor-general/constitutional-role/queen-public-ceremonial-roles |website=gg.govt.nz |publisher=Government House |access-date=4 November 2021 |language=en-NZ}}</ref> the functions of the sovereign are delegated to their representative, the governor-general.<ref>{{cite web|title=Governor-General|url=https://cabinetmanual.cabinetoffice.govt.nz/1.2|work=Cabinet Manual|publisher=Cabinet Office|access-date=7 May 2017|date=2008}}</ref> {{As of|2021}}, the incumbent Governor-General is [[Cindy Kiro|Dame Cindy Kiro]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Trevett |first1=Claire |title=New Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro sworn-in |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-governor-general-dame-cindy-kiro-sworn-in/ID2M2DXFTYVYLLBAPI5SJG6MFY/ |access-date=21 October 2021 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=21 October 2021 |language=en-NZ}}</ref> A governor-general formally has the power to appoint and dismiss [[Ministers in the New Zealand Government|ministers]] and to [[dissolution of parliament|dissolve]] Parliament; and the power to reject or sign bills into law by [[royal assent]] after passage by the House of Representatives.<ref>{{cite web|title=Modern duties|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/history-of-the-governor-general/modern-duties|publisher=New Zealand History Online|website=nzhistory.govt.nz|access-date=1 July 2017|date=18 December 2018}}</ref> The governor-general chairs the [[Executive Council of New Zealand|Executive Council]], which is a formal committee consisting of all ministers, who [[advice (constitutional)|advise]] the governor-general on the exercising of the prerogative powers. Members of the Executive Council are required to be members of Parliament (MPs), and most are also in the Cabinet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cabinetmanual.cabinetoffice.govt.nz/1.18|title=Executive Council|work=Cabinet Manual|date=2008|publisher=Cabinet Office|access-date=8 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519124008/http://www.cabinetmanual.cabinetoffice.govt.nz/1.18|archive-date=19 May 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Cabinet of New Zealand|Cabinet]] is the senior decision-making body in Government, led by the [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|prime minister]] (currently [[Christopher Luxon]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Luxon sworn in as PM, new Govt gets underway |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/national-nz-first-act-coalition-christopher-luxon-to-be-sworn-in-as-prime-minister-today-along-with-ministers-new-government-kicks-into-gear/4ACAOUV6RBBOPJTNUJBF3UWYLM/ |access-date=27 November 2023 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=27 November 2023 |language=en-NZ}}</ref>), who is also, by convention, the [[parliamentary leader]] of the largest governing party.<ref name="te ara">{{cite encyclopedia|first= Gavin|last= McLean|title= Premiers and prime ministers – The role of prime minister|url= http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/premiers-and-prime-ministers/page-1|encyclopedia= Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand|date= 1 December 2016|access-date=29 November 2019}}</ref> The prime minister, being the ''de facto'' leader of New Zealand, exercises executive functions that are formally vested in the sovereign (by way of the prerogative powers).<ref name="Cox"/> Ministers within Cabinet make major decisions collectively and are therefore [[Cabinet collective responsibility|collectively responsible]] for the consequences of these decisions.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Eichbaum|first1=Chris|title=Cabinet government – Collective responsibility|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/cabinet-government/page-4|encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand|access-date=1 May 2017|date=20 June 2012}}</ref>

For [[List of New Zealand governments|a government]] to be formed, typically following a general election, it must be able to command the support of the majority of MPs in the House of Representatives.<ref>{{cite web |title=How government works |url=https://www.govt.nz/browse/engaging-with-government/government-in-new-zealand/ |website=govt.nz |publisher=New Zealand Government |access-date=30 November 2019}}</ref> This entails having their [[Confidence and supply#Confidence|confidence]] and the ability to pass [[supply bill]]s. While it is rare for a single party to have an outright majority, [[coalition government|coalitions]] may be formed between parties;<ref name="coalitions">{{cite web |title = Coalition and minority governments |url = https://www.parliament.nz/resource/mi-nz/00PLLawRP99071/52e3e8f5c5960d88fc9bfa046bb1d6408e17b345 |publisher=Parliamentary Counsel Office |access-date=8 September 2017 |date=23 November 1999 }}</ref> even if a single party or coalition lacks a majority, it can form a Cabinet with agreed confidence and supply from minor parties.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bracewell-Worrall |first1=Anna |title=What is confidence and supply… and how does it differ from a coalition? |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/10/what-is-confidence-and-supply-and-how-does-it-differ-from-a-coalition.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005171310/http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/10/what-is-confidence-and-supply-and-how-does-it-differ-from-a-coalition.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 October 2017 |access-date=20 July 2023 |work=[[Newshub]] |date=4 October 2017 |language=en-NZ}}</ref> After a government is formed, it also requires practical support from a majority for [[government bill (law)|government bills]] to be enacted.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last1=Martin |first1=John E. |title=Legislating |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/parliament/page-3 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |date=20 June 2012 |access-date=12 March 2024 |quote=[G]overnment bills, introduced by ministers to advance the policies of the governing party or parties.}}</ref> Parties in government are said to have a "[[Mandate (politics)|mandate]]" from voters and authority to implement [[manifesto]]s (although this view has been criticised as being simplistic when applied to coalition arrangements).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Quinn |first1=Thomas |title=Mandates, Manifestos and Coalitions |date=2014 |location=London |isbn=978-09928904-14|pages=8–9}}</ref> The National Party won the largest number of seats in the [[2023 New Zealand general election|2023 general election]] and, following negotiations, formed a majority three-party coalition government with the ACT and NZ First parties.<ref name="Sixth National Government">{{cite news |title=National, ACT, NZ First will lead NZ's first three-party govt |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018916811/national-act-nz-first-will-lead-nz-s-first-three-party-govt |access-date=7 December 2023 |work=[[RNZ]] |date=24 November 2023 |language=en-nz}}</ref>

{{As of|2023|alt=Since November 2023}}, the Labour Party has formed the [[Official Opposition (New Zealand)|Official Opposition]] to the National–ACT–NZ First Government. The [[Leader of the Opposition (New Zealand)|leader of the Opposition]] heads a [[Shadow Cabinet (New Zealand)|Shadow Cabinet]], which scrutinises the actions of the Cabinet led by the prime minister. The Opposition within Parliament helps to hold the Government to account through [[parliamentary questions]], non-government bills, and the possibility of [[Motion of no confidence|no-confidence motions]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Relationship between the Government and the Opposition or Minority Parties in Selected Places|url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr02-03/english/sec/library/0203rp01e.pdf|access-date=18 December 2018|date=13 November 2002|pages=14–16}}</ref>