[1/3] People head to the polls to vote in the general election in Auckland, New Zealand October 14, 2023.
REUTERS/David Rowland Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Voting closed in New Zealand’s general election at 7:00 p.m. (0600 GMT) on Saturday and counting was set to start, with provisional results due later this evening.
Polls predict that the nationalist New Zealand First Party will hold the balance of power.
The party was Labour's coalition partner in 2017 but has said it will not work with Labour again.
In the 2023 election a party or coalition needs 61 of Parliament's 120 seats to form a government.
Persons:
David Rowland, Lucy Craymer, John Mair
Organizations:
REUTERS, Rights, ACT Party, New Zealand First Party, Labour, New, Thomson
Locations:
Auckland , New Zealand, New, New Zealand