{"id":4897,"date":"2023-05-26T05:12:20","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T17:12:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebuzz.apnanetwork.co.nz\/?p=4897"},"modified":"2023-05-26T05:12:20","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T17:12:20","slug":"political-poll-puts-national-and-act-in-drivers-seat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thebuzz.apnanetwork.co.nz\/?p=4897","title":{"rendered":"Political poll puts National and ACT in driver’s seat"},"content":{"rendered":"

National and ACT could form a government under the latest 1News-Kantar political poll, with Christopher Luxon’s personal popularity slightly bouncing back.<\/p>\n

National gained three points in the poll since March. With Labour losing one percentage point and the Greens losing all four points of support gained in the previous poll, they would fall short of governing even with M\u0101ori Party support.<\/p>\n

The results would mean 47 seats for National and 15 for ACT, giving them one more than the 61-seat threshold required to hold half of Parliament.<\/p>\n

Labour would have 46 seats, the Greens would get nine, and Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori would have three assuming they won at least one electorate.<\/p>\n

\"Prime<\/p>\n

Labour leader Chris Hipkins, the incumbent prime minister. (File photo)\u00a0<\/span>Photo:\u00a0RNZ \/ Angus Dreaver<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Labour leader Chris Hipkins lost two points of support as preferred prime minister since the March poll but on 25 percent was still ahead of National’s Chris Luxon on 18, despite the latter’s one-point rise.<\/p>\n

It marks a halt in falling popularity for Luxon, who took a\u00a0five-point hit<\/a>\u00a0in the preferred prime minister stakes between February and March.<\/p>\n

This latest poll was conducted from 20 to 24 May, coming after the release of the government’s Budget:<\/p>\n