New Zealand faces weeks of uncertainty with election ‘too close to call’

National party will be largest in parliament but ultimate shape of next government won’t be settled for some time

New Zealand could be facing a weeks-long wait to know the shape of its next government, after its nail-biting election failed to hand a decisive victory to either the incumbent rightwing coalition or opposition left bloc.

On preliminary results, the centre-right National party, led by the prime minister, Christopher Luxon, managed to secure enough seats to govern alongside its traditional coalition partners, the libertarian Act and populist New Zealand First parties.

But with some seats won by very slim margins, and special votes yet to be counted, that success is precarious, resulting in an election too close to call until official results are released on 27 November.