Across the Pacific, New Zealand’s National-led coalition government is confronting a crisis of public confidence. A new poll reported by Stuff shows support for the government has fallen to its lowest level since the 2023 election, effectively tying it with the combined parliamentary opposition. Perhaps more damning, a majority of New Zealanders now believe the country is “heading in the wrong direction.”
The polling slump comes amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures and debate over the government’s policy direction. For Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, the numbers represent a stark warning heading into what promises to be a turbulent political season.