English Says He's Best Placed to Form New Zealand Government
- National wins most votes but falls short of election majority
- Both National, Labour need N.Z. First backing to govern
Bill English Presses to Form New Zealand Government
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New Zealand’s ruling National Party says it is best placed to form the next government after securing the biggest slice of the vote in Saturday’s election, but it will need the support of a populist maverick to get there.
Prime Minister Bill English, whose party won 46 percent of the vote, said he’s confident he can reach a deal with New Zealand First Party leader Winston Peters in coming days to produce a stable administration. National’s tally exceeded the 41.7 percent combined support for the opposition Labour Party and its ally the Greens, who say they will also seek talks with Peters.