The prime minister finds support from old allies to form his government
By S.McM. | WELLINGTON
THIRD-TERM governments are reputedly difficult for a governing party—and particularly in New Zealand’s multi-party system, in which voters plump for both a party and a candidate for their local electorate. But John Key, the country’s prime minister, has made initial arrangements for staying in power look so easy as to seem casual.
Mr Key was re-elected to a third consecutive term on September 20th. Earlier this month a final vote count confirmed that his National Party had won 60 of 121 seats in parliament: one fewer than initial results had indicated. But agreements struck with three parties mean National can govern in comfort. Known as confidence and supply deals, these allow a minority government to hold power: smaller parties agree to support it on its budget and on no-confidence motions by either voting in favour or abstaining.
On October 13th David Seymour, an MP and leader of the conservative ACT Party, was sworn in as parliamentary under-secretary for education—assuring National of 61 votes in New Zealand’s 121-seat parliament. In return for the agreement Mr Seymour can rely on continued support from National for creating more charter schools, privately-run establishments that receive generous state financing.
Mr Seymour made it into parliament only because staunch National Party voters from the Auckland electorate of Epsom were asked to give their electorate vote to him. Although the arrangement rankled with some National voters, enough of them obliged. He is the sole representative of his party in parliament.
Mr Key and his party do not need to rely only on Mr Seymour. They typically receive support from the Maori Party, which holds two seats. Like the ACT Party, the Maori Party supported National during its first and second terms. Its pledge of support is in return for continued financial backing for Maori development and for Whanau Ora, an inter-agency organisation that deals in health and welfare, which is under Maori direction. Te Ururoa Flavell, co-leader of the Maori Party, will be a minister outside Cabinet but will hold three portfolios.
The government will probably be able to rely on Peter Dunne, leader of the United Future Party, who was a minister during the last two terms of the National Party and will be the minister of internal affairs. And even if one of these three steady allies withholds support for a particular policy, National needs only one vote to take it to the 61 majority. Mr Key has ensured he has plenty of wriggle room.
