Luxon faces steep drop in popularity

Support for New Zealand's ruling National party has fallen to its lowest level in more than four years, and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is no longer voters’ preferred leader, polling showed yesterday.

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The monthly Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll showed support for the conservative Nationals dropped 2.9 points to 28.4%, the party’s worst showing since late 2021.

Mr Luxon, 55, and his coalition government, which has been in power since the 2023 election, have lost popularity over the past year due to a weakening economy and higher unemployment.

The decline exposes the centre-right bloc to strong competition from the Labour party which has seen its polling numbers improve in recent months.