Back on Track ? The New Zealand General Election of 2023

The latest in the acclaimed series of election books from Victoria University of Wellington, Back on Track? is an engaging account of how we ended up with the government we have today.

What a year! In 2023, Jacinda Ardern resigned after five years as Prime Minister, leaving Chris Hipkins in charge of Labour’s waning fortunes and ultimate defeat. The Greens and Te Pati Māori ended up back on the opposition benches despite gaining more votes than ever before. ACT held its support, but couldn’t find enough votes to keep New Zealand First from muscling its way back into government, as Winston Peters again went from has-been to kingmaker to Minister of Foreign Affairs. And Christopher Luxon, having repeatedly warned of a ‘coalition of chaos’ if people voted for Labour, the Greens and Te Pati Maori, found himself leading a chaotic coalition of his own when the election resulted in a National–ACT–New Zealand First government that promised to get New Zealand ‘back on track’.