Christopher Luxon will become the next prime minister of New Zealand under a National-led Government.

With 97% of the votes counted, National was projected to receive 50 seats in Parliament, Labour 34, The Green Party 14, ACT 11, New Zealand First 8 and Te Pāti Māori 4. 

But there is uncertainty about whether National and ACT will be able to govern alone. The coalition would currently hold the required 61 seats to form a government.

But "overhang" seats – created by victories for Te Pāti Māori in four electorates but a party vote of 2.5% – will alter the parliamentary maths and possibly open the door to New Zealand First.

Parliament will have 122 seats on the current count — including the upcoming Port Waikato by-election. 

That means the next government would need 62 seats to form a coalition instead of the usual 61. 

"Tomorrow morning, New Zealanders are going to wake up to not only a new day, but the promise of a new government and a new direction," the incoming PM said.

On election night, ACT leader David Seymour said “this country has voted for change and a record number have voted for real change”.

Historic results for young candidates

Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke is set to become New Zealand’s youngest MP in 170 years, unseating Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta in Hauraki-Waikato. 

Maipi-Clarke is more than 1000 votes ahead of Mahuta, the longest continuously-serving female MP. 

On election night, Maipi-Clarke said her win was part of a “huge wave” of voters who have thrown their support towards Te Pāti Māori. 

Te Pāti Māori looks set to double its seats in parliament after Rawiri Waititi won Wairiki, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer won Te Tai Hauāuru and Tākuta Ferris won Te Tai Tonga.

The Greens, ACT, New Zealand First and Te Pāti Māori have seen an increase in party vote from the 2020 election. 

In Pōneke, the Greens' Tamatha Paul, 26, has won Wellington Central – a seat held for decades by Labour. The Green Party was also on track to take another historic Labour electorate in Rongotai with Julie-Anne Genter 969 votes ahead with 81.1% counted. 

In Auckland Chlöe Swarbrick has also kept her electorate seat Green in Auckland Central.

“That’s what grassroots community building and change looks like,” Swarbrick said of her colleagues’ success. 

NZ First leader Winston Peters told 1News that people had laughed at the idea of the party making a comeback. 

“They’re not laughing now, are they?” 

Just three years after winning the first MMP majority, based on the current vote Labour will lose 29 seats and some senior MPs as a consequence. 

Hipkins said: "I can promise that we will keep fighting for working people because that is our history, and our future.”

The preliminary election results released tonight come from the Electoral Commission but this is not the formal declaration of results.

Special votes are yet to be counted and the Electoral Commission aims to have the official results published on November 3.

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