171-530: The New Zealand Labour Party , also known simply as Labour ( Māori : Reipa ), is a centrist political party in New Zealand . The party's platform programme describes its founding principle as democratic socialism , while observers describe Labour as social democratic in theory and pragmatic in practice. The party participates in the international Progressive Alliance . It is one of two major political parties in New Zealand, alongside its traditional rival,
342-618: A social democrat and a progressive . The Sixth Labour Government faced challenges from the New Zealand housing crisis , child poverty , and social inequality . In March 2019, in the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings , Ardern reacted by rapidly introducing strict gun laws , winning her wide recognition. Throughout 2020 she led New Zealand's response to the COVID-19 pandemic , for which she won praise for New Zealand being one of
513-903: A $ 60 per-week universal BestStart Payment for low and middle-income families with young children. The Family Tax Credit, Orphans Benefit, Accommodation Supplement, and Foster Care Allowance were all substantially increased as well. In 2019, the government began the roll-out of a school lunches pilot programme to assist in reducing child poverty numbers; this was then extended to support 200,000 children (about 25 per cent of school rolls) in low decile schools. Other efforts to reduce poverty have included increases to main welfare benefits , expanding free doctor's visits, providing free menstrual hygiene products in schools and adding to state housing stock. However, as of 2022 critics say rising housing costs are continuing to cripple families and systemic changes are needed to ensure any gains are lasting. Economically, Ardern's government has implemented steady increases to
684-613: A 2018 United Nations General Assembly meeting, Ardern became the first female head of government to attend with her infant present. Her address to the General Assembly praised the United Nations for its multilateralism, expressed support for the world's youth, called for immediate attention to the effects and causes of climate change , for the equality of women, and for kindness as the basis for action. On 24 September 2019, Ardern met with United States President Donald Trump on
855-474: A capital gains tax during the first term of a Labour government. Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson later clarified that Labour would not introduce new taxes until after the 2020 election. The policy shift accompanied strident allegations by Minister of Finance Steven Joyce that Labour had an $ 11.7 billion "hole" in its tax policy. The Labour and Green parties' proposed water and pollution taxes also generated criticism from farmers. On 18 September 2017,
1026-530: A coalition with Labour, making Ardern the next prime minister. This coalition received confidence and supply from the Green Party. Ardern named Peters as deputy prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs . She also gave New Zealand First five posts in her government, with Peters and three other ministers serving in Cabinet. The next day, Ardern indicated her intention to take ministerial responsibilities in
1197-405: A decline in party support. However, Labour won the popular vote in 1978 and 1981 , with the first-past-the-post voting system preventing them from governing. Up to the 1980s, the party advocated a strong role for governments in economic and social matters. When it governed from 1984 to 1990 , Labour's emergent neoliberal faction had a strong influence; the party broke precedent and transformed
1368-566: A grey face" led by John Major , and the anti-neoliberalism of Mexican president Vicente Fox . The centre-left adopted Third Way policies, emphasising that it was neither left nor right but pragmatic . This adopted ideas popular among the centre-right, including balanced budgets and low taxes. Among these movements were British New Labour led by Tony Blair . Social democratic parties became more accepting of supply-side economics , austerity policies, and reduction of welfare programs. Some authoritarian powers, such as China and Russia, resisted
1539-535: A key feature of Labour's 2017 election campaign. Notable policies, programmes and legislations during the 2020–2023 term included the Clean Car rebate programme , making the Māori New Year Matariki a public holiday, banning conversion therapy , replacing the district health boards with a national health service called Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), passing smokefree legislation banning
1710-459: A landslide victory, gaining 77 per cent of votes cast in the preliminary results. Following her win in the by-election, Ardern was unanimously elected as deputy leader of the Labour Party on 7 March 2017, following the resignation of Annette King , who was intending to retire at the next election. Ardern's vacant list seat was taken by Raymond Huo . On 1 August 2017, just seven weeks before
1881-700: A larger middle class. Following the pink tide that saw several left-wing politicians take office, those in democratic nations adopted relatively moderate policies, including Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil, Michelle Bachelet in Chile, Mauricio Funes in El Salvador, and Tabaré Vázquez and José Mujica in Uruguay. These nations implemented the Washington Consensus , which mixed deregulation and privatisation with
SECTION 10
#17328376196862052-593: A major European centrist movement in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. The eugenics associated with the Holocaust caused centrists to abandon scientific racism in favour of anti-racism . Centrism became more influential after the dissolution of the Soviet Union as it spread through Europe and the Americas, but it declined in favour of populism after the 2007–2008 financial crisis . As with all ideological groups,
2223-477: A number of earlier socialist groups advocating proportional representation , the abolition of the country quota , the recall of members of Parliament , as well as the nationalisation of production and exchange . Despite the Labour Party's Wellington origins, the West Coast town of Blackball is regarded as the "spiritual home" of the party, because it was the site of a miners' strike in 1908 that led to
2394-400: A number of new policies. His foreign-policy stances included strong criticism of nuclear-weapons testing and of South Africa 's apartheid system. However, Kirk suffered from poor health, worsened by his refusal to slow the pace of his work. In 1974 Kirk was taken ill and died . Bill Rowling replaced him, but did not have the same electoral appeal – in the 1975 election , Labour lost to
2565-449: A party's ideological stance. Conversely, some centrist parties will only be challenged from one direction instead of facing both left-wing and right-wing challengers, preventing it from taking its typical location in the middle of a party system. What constitutes the middle of a political system is unique to each nation, while ideological centrism is a political stance that exists internationally. Coalition building typically occurs around
2736-618: A period of time in New York City, United States, where she volunteered at a soup kitchen and worked on a workers' rights campaign, Ardern moved to London, England, in 2006, where she became a senior policy adviser in an 80-person policy unit of the United Kingdom Cabinet Office under prime minister Tony Blair . (She did not meet Blair in person while in London, but later at an event in New Zealand in 2011 she questioned him about
2907-633: A photograph of her hugging a member of the Christchurch Muslim community with the word "peace" in English and Arabic was projected onto the Burj Khalifa , the world's tallest building. A 25-metre (82 ft) mural of this photograph was unveiled in May 2019. In response to the shootings, Ardern announced her government's intention to introduce stronger firearms regulations. She said that the attack had exposed
3078-565: A plurality in most European countries. Jacinda Ardern Leader of the Labour Party Leader of the Opposition Prime Minister General elections Dame Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern GNZM ( / dʒ ə ˈ s ɪ n d ə ɑːr ˈ d ɜːr n / jə- SIN -də ar- DURN ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand former politician who served as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of
3249-490: A political system designed to encourage centrism in an ethnically divided nation as it transitioned away from colonial rule in 1965. Each voter was to vote for four candidates, each for a distinct ethnic group. This failed to produce a centrist government, as in effect it solidified the ethnic division in government. As post-colonial party systems developed in the Middle East, the influence of one-party states varied. Parties like
3420-569: A political system, opposing the right's adherence to the status quo and the left's support for radical change. Support for a middle class is a defining trait of centrism, holding that it is preferable to reactionary or revolutionary politics. In contemporary politics, centrists generally support a liberal welfare state . Centrist coalitions are associated with larger welfare programs, but they are generally less inclusive than those organised under social democratic governments. Centrists may support some redistributive policies , but they oppose
3591-520: A range of weaknesses in New Zealand's gun law . Less than one month after the attack, the New Zealand Parliament passed a law that bans most semiautomatic weapons and assault rifles, parts that convert guns into semiautomatic guns, and higher capacity magazines. Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired the 2019 Christchurch Call summit, which aimed to "bring together countries and tech companies in an attempt to bring to an end
SECTION 20
#17328376196863762-509: A report about the incident was published in The Spinoff . Media questioned her account, with one journalist stating that Ardern's claim was "hard to swallow". Ardern opposes criminalising people who use cannabis in New Zealand , and pledged to hold a referendum on the issue. A non-binding referendum to legalise cannabis was held in conjunction with the 2020 general election on 17 October 2020. Ardern admitted to past cannabis use during
3933-412: A side, causing political instability . Maurice Duverger argued that politics naturally drifts away from the centre into a two-party system and that a centrist party is an unnatural combination of the centre-left and centre-right. Giovanni Sartori argued that centrism is the default in a political system, but that the existence of a centrist party prevents the left and the right from moving toward
4104-642: A single party was difficult, with tensions between different factions running strong. In 1910 the Independent Political Labour League was relaunched as an organisation called the Labour Party (distinct from the modern party). Soon, however, the leaders of the new organisation decided that additional effort was needed to promote left-wing cooperation, and organised a "Unity Conference" . The Socialists refused to attend, but several independent labour activists agreed. The United Labour Party (ULP)
4275-403: A statement broadcast on television, Ardern offered condolences and stated that the shootings had been carried out by suspects with "extremist views" that have no place in New Zealand, or anywhere else in the world. She also described it as a well-planned terrorist attack . Announcing a period of national mourning, Ardern was the first signatory of a national condolence book that she opened in
4446-535: A strong position in forming coalition governments as they can accommodate both left-wing and right-wing parties, but they are often junior partners in these coalitions that are unable to enact their own policies. These parties are weaker in first-past-the-post voting and proportional representation systems. Parties and politicians have various incentives to move toward or away from the centre, depending on how they seek votes. Some populist parties take centrist positions, basing their political position on opposition to
4617-595: A televised debate prior to the election. In the referendum, voters rejected the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill by 51.17 per cent. A retrospective article published in a medical journal suggested that Ardern's refusal to publicly back the 'yes' campaign "may have been a decisive factor in the narrow defeat". In September 2020, Ardern announced that her government had abandoned plans to make tertiary education tuition free. On 5 November 2017, Ardern made her first official overseas trip to Australia, where she met Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for
4788-451: A vote of no confidence in his leadership. Geoffrey Palmer became the new Labour prime minister. However, Palmer failed to rebuild the shattered remnants of Lange's government and in September 1990, Mike Moore replaced him. Despite Moore's ascension somewhat salvaging poll-ratings, Labour suffered its worst defeat since it first took office in 1935 (losing twenty-eight seats) – voters flung
4959-487: Is New Zealand's third female prime minister after Jenny Shipley (1997–1999) and Helen Clark (1999–2008). She is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders . Entering office aged 37, Ardern is also the youngest individual to become New Zealand's head of government since Edward Stafford , who became premier in 1856 also aged 37. On 19 January 2018, Ardern announced that she was pregnant, and that Winston Peters would take
5130-519: Is a general authority in the church. In 1994, she began studying at Morrinsville College , and later she was the student representative on the school's board of trustees. Whilst still at school, she found her first job, working at a local fish-and-chip shop . She joined the Labour Party at the age of 17. Her aunt, Marie Ardern, a longstanding member of the Labour Party, recruited the teenaged Ardern to help her with campaigning for New Plymouth MP Harry Duynhoven during his re-election campaign at
5301-438: Is a form of centrism defined by its rejection of the left–right dichotomy or of ideology in general. Liberal scepticism and neo-republicanism can both be elements of radical centrism. Third Way politics is a radical centrist approach taken by centre-left parties to find a middle ground between capitalism and socialism . Though populism is commonly associated with strong left-wing or right-wing beliefs, centrist populism
New Zealand Labour Party - Misplaced Pages Continue
5472-603: Is commonly associated with the political centre. Both left-leaning and right-leaning variants of liberalism may be grouped within a broader understanding of centrism. In Europe, left-leaning liberalism emphasises social liberalism and is more common in nations with strong conservative movements, while right-leaning liberalism emphasises economic liberalism and is more common in nations with strong Christian democratic movements. Social liberalism combines centrist economic positions with progressive stances on social and cultural issues. Left-leaning liberalism generally sits closer to
5643-464: Is critical of the political system independently of social, economic, and cultural issues. Centrist populist parties often do not have a strong ideological component, instead making anti-establishment politics the core of their message to capitalise on voter dissatisfaction and receive protest votes . These parties are most common in Central and Eastern Europe. Centrism advocates gradual change within
5814-533: Is irrelevant". On 12 November 2017, Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker and Ardern announced that the government would continue participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations despite opposition from the Green Party. New Zealand ratified the revised agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership , which she described as being better than
5985-524: Is left-of-centre). When the 1996 election , the first conducted under the MMP electoral system, gave the balance of power to the centrist New Zealand First party, many believed that Labour would return to power, but in the end New Zealand First formed a coalition arrangement with the National Party. Despite initially appearing coherent, the coalition became increasingly unstable and eventually collapsed, leaving
6156-467: Is typically a junior partner that has little ability to enact its own policy goals. Party systems with a strong centrist element are associated with lower interparty conflict. The overall effect of centrist parties on a political system is a subject of debate in political science, and it is not always clear whether they encourage or discourage political polarisation, or whether they benefit or suffer from it. One unanswered question in political philosophy
6327-412: Is whether centrist parties create centripetal or centrifugal party systems. When centrist parties exert a centripetal force on other parties, it causes left-wing and right-wing parties to move closer to the centre and creates political stability . Alternatively, they may exert a centrifugal force in which left-wing and right-wing parties move away from the centre to pressure the centrist party into choosing
6498-420: Is widely accepted in political science , radical groups that oppose centrist ideologies may sometimes describe them as leftist or rightist. Centrist parties typically hold the middle position between major left-wing and right-wing parties, though in some cases they will hold the left-leaning or right-leaning vote if there are no viable parties in the given direction. Centrist parties in multi-party systems hold
6669-526: The 1908 election . At the same time, moderates contested as " Lib-Lab " candidates, aligning with the Liberal Party while enjoying the endorsement of the labour movement. This established the basic dividing line in New Zealand's left-wing politics – the Socialists/IPLL tended to be revolutionary and militant, while the moderates focused instead on progressive reform. The process of unifying these sides into
6840-668: The 1928 election , however, the party was left in an advantageous position – the Reform Party had 28 seats and the new United Party (a revival of the Liberals) had 27 seats, and neither could govern without Labour support. Labour chose to back United, the party closest to its own views – this put an end to five terms (1912–1928) of Reform Party government. In the early 1930s the rigours of the Great Depression brought Labour considerable popularity, but also caused tension between Labour and
7011-455: The 1999 general election . Ardern attended the University of Waikato , graduating in 2001 as a Bachelor of Communication Studies in politics and public relations , a specialist three-year degree. She took a semester abroad at Arizona State University in 2001. After graduating from university, she spent time working in the offices of Phil Goff and of Helen Clark as a researcher. After
New Zealand Labour Party - Misplaced Pages Continue
7182-698: The 2003 invasion of Iraq ). Ardern was also seconded to the United Kingdom Home Office to help with a review of policing in England and Wales . On 30 January 2008, at 27, Ardern was elected president of the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) at their world congress in the Dominican Republic for a two-year term until 2010. The role saw her spend time in several countries, including Hungary, Jordan, Israel, Algeria and China. It
7353-454: The 2017 general election , Ardern assumed the position of leader of the Labour Party , and consequently became leader of the Opposition, following the resignation of Andrew Little . Little stood down due to the party's historically low polling. Ardern was unanimously confirmed in an election to choose a new leader at a caucus meeting the same day. At 37, Ardern became the youngest leader of
7524-469: The 2017–2020 term included scrapping the previous National Government's national standards in schools and charter schools , the KiwiBuild affordable housing programme, restricting oil and gas exploration, banning semi-automatic firearms , restoring voting rights for prisoners serving less than three years and decriminalising abortion . The Labour Government also adopted an elimination approach towards
7695-767: The 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods and Cyclone Gabrielle , which devastated Auckland and the east coast of the North Island . Prior to the dissolution of Parliament , the Labour Government passed two laws as part of efforts to replace the Resource Management Act 1991 . The 2020–2023 term saw the expulsion of Labour MP Gaurva Sharma , the resignations of ministers Stuart Nash and Kiri Allan , and ministers Michael Wood and Jan Tinetti being disciplined by Parliament's privileges committee. The 2023 NZ general election, held on 14 October 2023, saw
7866-692: The Arab Socialist Union in Egypt and the General People's Congress in Yemen acted as restraints on political elites to keep them from deviating from the political centre. Anwar Sadat became president of Egypt, and in 1976 he split the ruling Arab Socialist Union into three parties based on its left, centre, and right factions. Rule was maintained through what became the centrist National Democratic Party , effectively controlling Egyptian politics and marginalising
8037-506: The Bill of Rights Act , which enumerated civil and political rights. Throughout its first term (1984–1987), the Labour government remained largely unified behind the enacted radical financial, economic and social policy reforms, but early signs of dissension began to appear before the 1987 election. In 1987 Labour won another considerable election victory against the National Party, while ruptures over
8208-503: The COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand , instituting lockdowns and closing the border. Both Labour and Prime Minister Ardern attracted high domestic poll ratings due to their initial COVID-19 responses in 2020. In mid-July 2020, the Serious Fraud Office announced that it was investigating donations made to the Labour Party by two Chinese businessmen during the 2017 general election. Labour Party President Claire Szabó announced that
8379-519: The Cabinet Office during Tony Blair's premiership . In 2008, Ardern was elected president of the International Union of Socialist Youth . Ardern was first elected as an MP in the 2008 general election , when Labour lost power after nine years. She was later elected to represent the Mount Albert electorate in a by-election on 25 February 2017. Ardern was unanimously elected as deputy leader of
8550-646: The Colorado Party of Uruguay. Christian democracy, usually a conservative movement, serves a similar role in Latin America as its opposition to more rightward politics moves it toward a centrist or centre-left position. Some political parties label themselves as centrist but do not hold centrist positions. These are typically more right-wing parties such as the centre-right Union of the Democratic Centre in Spain and
8721-625: The Green Party . In the 2020 general election, Labour won in a landslide , winning an overall majority of 10 and 50.01% of the vote. In the 2023 election , Labour lost its majority to the National Party and subsequently returned to Opposition . Since 2023, Chris Hipkins serves as the party's leader , while Carmel Sepuloni is the deputy leader . The founding of the New Zealand Labour Party, on 7 July 1916 in Wellington, brought together
SECTION 50
#17328376196868892-562: The Iraq War ; and the foreshore and seabed controversy , which caused disillusioned Māori Labour MPs to split and create the Māori Party . In the 2017 election the party, under Jacinda Ardern , returned to prominence with its best showing since the 2005 general election , winning 36.9% of the party vote and 46 seats. On 19 October 2017, Labour formed a minority coalition government with New Zealand First , with confidence and supply from
9063-581: The Liberal Party . Although Labour had split with its more militant faction (which went on to form various socialist parties), it maintained what were at the time radical socialist policies. Labour's 'Usehold' policy on land was, in essence, the replacement of freehold tenure by a system of perpetual lease from the state, with all land-transfer conducted through the state (the full nationalisation of farmland). This policy proved unpopular with voters, and Labour dropped it, along with other more radical policies, in
9234-579: The National Party 's 56. After negotiations, New Zealand First chose to enter a minority coalition government with Labour, supported by the Green Party , with Ardern as prime minister. She was sworn in by the governor-general on 26 October 2017. She became the world's youngest female head of government at age 37. Ardern gave birth to her daughter on 21 June 2018, making her the world's second elected head of government to give birth while in office (after Benazir Bhutto ). Ardern describes herself as
9405-436: The National Party . The New Zealand Labour Party formed in 1916 out of various socialist parties and trade unions . It is the country's oldest political party still in existence. Alongside the National Party, Labour has alternated in leading governments of New Zealand since the 1930s. As of 2020, there have been six periods of Labour government under 11 Labour prime ministers . The party has traditionally been supported by
9576-711: The National Security and Intelligence ; Arts, Culture and Heritage ; and children's portfolios; reflecting the shadow positions she held as Leader of the Opposition. She wanted to appoint herself the Minister for Children but was advised that role was too large to hold alongside her other responsibilities; instead, Ardern became the first Minister for Child Poverty Reduction . She was officially sworn in by Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy on 26 October, alongside her ministry . Upon taking office, Ardern said that her government would be "focused, empathetic and strong". Ardern
9747-463: The left–right political spectrum . It is associated with moderate politics, including people who strongly support moderate policies and people who are not strongly aligned with left-wing or right-wing policies. Centrism is commonly associated with liberalism , radical centrism , and agrarianism . Those who identify as centrist support gradual political change, often through a welfare state with moderate redistributive policies . Though its placement
9918-647: The working classes , Māori , Pasifika , and has had strongholds in inner cities and the Māori seats for much of its existence. Labour won the party vote in 71 out of 72 electorates in the 2020 election , making it overwhelmingly the most successful political party of the MMP era . The party first came to power under prime ministers Michael Joseph Savage and Peter Fraser from 1935 to 1949 , when it established New Zealand's welfare state . It governed from 1957 to 1960 , and again from 1972 to 1975 . In 1974, prime minister Norman Kirk died in office, which contributed to
10089-420: The "industrial anarchy" of the 1951 waterfront dispute . In the 1957 election , however, Labour won a narrow majority of two seats, and returned to office. Nash, Labour's third prime minister, took office in late 1957. Upon coming to power, Labour decided that drastic measures were needed to address balance-of-payments concerns. This resulted in the highly unpopular 1958 "Black Budget" of Arnold Nordmeyer ,
10260-419: The 1950s and 1960s, this declined to approximately 15% by 2020. Centrist dictatorships rarely occur. Most political party systems lean toward the centre, where centre-left and centre-right parties compromise with centrist parties. Centrist parties are typically found in the middle of a party system, leading to mixed use of the term centre to refer to centrist parties and to this middle position regardless of
10431-490: The 1960s as polarisation grew and radical parties developed. Industrialisation reduced the appeal of agrarianism in the post-war era. The Agrarian Parties of Sweden , Norway , and Finland changed their names to the Centre Party in 1958, 1959, and 1965, respectively. This left Denmark as the only nation with a major self-proclaimed Agrarian Party , but it also described itself as liberal beginning in 1963. Fiji implemented
SECTION 60
#173283761968610602-473: The 1960s. Taiwan's political system, already inclined toward centrism, saw its two major parties move closer to the centrism in the late 1990s as newer parties developed on either side. After a long period of strong left-wing and right-wing movements, Latin American nations trended toward centrism in the 2000s. This came about as the nations' economies strengthened and the reduction of wealth inequality created
10773-501: The 1993 election, was replaced by Helen Clark in December 1993. Clark led the party in opposition to the National government for six years under the administrations of Bolger (1993–1997) and Shipley (1997–1999). During this period in opposition, the party made a measured repudiation of Rogernomics, although it has never returned to its original leftist roots (Labour's contemporary position
10944-417: The 19th century, but it did so less than its primary advocates, and it rejected the related concept of social Darwinism . Instead of the idea that non-white races could not achieve European-style civilisation, centrist liberals believed that they could but it would take them longer to do so. Centrist liberalism was one of the two major global ideological groups at the beginning of the 20th century, where it
11115-478: The 19th century. As research universities became more common, advocacy for centrist reform was taken up by academics. Instead of engaging in direct activism, they considered social issues and presented their conclusions as objective science. Other ideological groups did not have success in this endeavour, as taking strong partisan stances risked one's reputation. Centrist liberals in Europe accepted scientific racism in
11286-559: The 2018 UN General Assembly meeting. In late February 2020, Ardern met Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Sydney. During her visit, she criticised Australia's policy of deporting New Zealanders, many of whom had lived in Australia but had not taken up Australian citizenship, as "corrosive" and damaging to Australia–New Zealand relations. On 15 March 2019, 51 people were fatally shot and 49 injured in two mosques in Christchurch . In
11457-638: The 20th century, the radical side of New Zealand working class politics was represented by the Socialist Party , founded in 1901. The more moderate leftists generally supported the Liberal Party . In 1905 a group of working-class politicians who were dissatisfied with the Liberal approach established the Independent Political Labour League (IPLL), which managed to win a seat in Parliament in
11628-622: The Alliance split as one of the reasons for calling the 2002 election several months early; Labour won comfortably. Policies of the Fifth Labour Government included the KiwiSaver scheme, the Working for Families package, increasing the minimum wage 5% a year, interest-free student loans, the establishment of District Health Boards , the introduction of a number of tax credits , overhauling
11799-467: The Black Budget ensured that Nordmeyer did not have any appreciable success in reversing the party's fortunes. In 1965 the leadership went to the younger Norman Kirk , who many believed would revitalise the party. Labour suffered defeat again in the next two elections, but in the 1972 election , the party gained a significant majority over its rival. Kirk proved an energetic prime minister and introduced
11970-567: The Christian Democrats expressed centrist positions but were the rightmost of Italy's major parties and took on a more conservative role. Turkey developed a two-party system with two centrist parties in the 1950s. The parties were instead motivated by demographics: the Republican People's Party was supported by urban voters and the military while Democrat Party was the party of rural voters and businessmen. This system fell apart by
12141-552: The Fourth Labour Government differed significantly from previous Labour governments. The minister of finance, Roger Douglas , supported neoliberal theories, and sought to implement sweeping free-market reforms (dubbed " Rogernomics ") to the economy and to the tax system. This involved floating the New Zealand dollar, cutting government spending, reducing taxes and removing almost all industry subsidies. The government also revolutionised New Zealand's foreign policy, making
12312-632: The Labour Party from 2017 to 2023. She was a member of Parliament (MP) as a list MP from 2008 to 2017 and for Mount Albert from 2017 to 2023. Born in Hamilton , Ardern grew up in Morrinsville and Murupara . She joined the New Zealand Labour Party at the age of 17. After graduating from the University of Waikato in 2001, Ardern worked as a researcher in the office of Prime Minister Helen Clark . She later worked in London as an adviser in
12483-453: The Labour Party on 1 March 2017, after the resignation of Annette King . Exactly five months later, with an election due, Labour's leader Andrew Little resigned after a historically low opinion polling result for the party, with Ardern elected unopposed as leader in his place. Labour's support increased rapidly after Ardern became leader, and she led her party to gain 14 seats at the 2017 general election on 23 September, winning 46 seats to
12654-598: The Labour Party campaigning on a capital gains tax for the last three elections, Ardern pledged in April 2019 that the government would not implement a capital gains tax under her leadership. However, since then the period for which capital gain on rental properties sold is taxed has increased from five to ten years since purchase. Ardern travelled to Waitangi in 2018 for the annual Waitangi Day commemoration; stayed in Waitangi for five days, an unprecedented length. Ardern became
12825-445: The Labour Party in its history. She is also the second female leader of the party after Helen Clark . According to Ardern, Little had previously approached her on 26 July and said he thought she should take over as Labour leader then, as he was of the opinion he could not turn things around for the party, although Ardern declined and told him to "stick it out". At her first press conference, after her election as leader, she said that
12996-534: The Labour Party parliamentary leader. In the 1935 election , the Labour Party gained a significant majority, gaining 53 seats to the coalition's 19, and returned to government. Several of the early Labour Party stalwarts were Australian-born: Alfred Hindmarsh , Harry Holland , Michael Joseph Savage , Bob Semple , Paddy Webb , Bill Parry and later Jerry Skinner , Mabel Howard , Hugh Watt , Jim Edwards and Dorothy Jelicich . Party leader Michael Joseph Savage became prime minister on 6 December 1935, marking
13167-628: The Labour government lose its majority to the opposition National Party. Based on final results, Labour's share of the popular vote declined to 26.91% while its share of Parliamentary seats dropped to 34. In early November 2023, caretake Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was re-elected as leader of the Labour Party and Carmel Sepuloni was elected as deputy leader. In early 2024, three veteran Labour MPs Kelvin Davis , Rino Tirikatene and Grant Robertson resigned from Parliament, allowing Shanan Halbert , Tracey McLellan and Glen Bennett to re-enter Parliament via
13338-485: The National Party soundly defeated it in the 2008 election . Following the loss to the National Party in the November 2008 election, Helen Clark stood down as leader of the party – Phil Goff succeeded her (serving from 2008–2011). Labour had a relatively high turnover of four leaders during its most recent term in opposition; journalist Nicky Hager has attributed this to Labour's reaction to changes within public media and
13509-485: The National Party to govern as a minority government from 1998 to 1999. After the 1999 election , a coalition government of Labour and the Alliance took power, with Helen Clark becoming New Zealand's second female prime minister. This government, while undertaking a number of reforms, was not particularly radical when compared to previous Labour governments, and maintained a high level of popularity. The Alliance, however, fell in popularity and split internally. Clark cited
13680-472: The National Party, then led by Robert Muldoon . Rowling remained the leader of the Labour Party for some time after his defeat. In the 1978 election and the 1981 election Labour won a larger share of the vote than National but failed to win an equivalent number of seats. This led to a very heated debate on New Zealand's electoral system, and precipitated the introduction of mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) fifteen years later . Rowling himself
13851-453: The National Party, under Sidney Holland , gained ground, although Labour was able to win the 1943 and 1946 elections. Eventually, in the 1949 election , Labour suffered electoral defeat. Fraser died shortly afterward, and was replaced by Walter Nash , the long-serving minister of finance . It would be some time before Labour would return to power; Nash lacked the charisma of his predecessors, and National won considerable support for opposing
14022-561: The Party into the political wilderness with an election landslide loss. National swept to power, seemingly repudiating the Lange/Douglas program, but then engaged in even more radical policies than Labour had contemplated. Political disillusionment caused by both governments was to be instrumental in the later adoption of mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) in 1993 (implemented in 1996). Moore himself, despite recovering sixteen seats at
14193-463: The Reform Party and the United Party took their coalition to the next step, agreeing to merge with each other. The combined organisation, named the National Party , would be Labour's main rival in future years. Labour also faced opposition within its own ranks. While the Labour Party had been explicitly socialist at its inception, it had gradually drifted away from its earlier radicalism. The death of
14364-754: The ULP Remnant broke down, and in 1915 they formed a unified caucus – both to oppose Reform better and to differentiate themselves from the Liberals. A year later yet another gathering took place. This time, all major factions of the labour movement agreed to unite, forming the Labour Party as it is today. Almost immediately, the new Labour Party became involved in the acrimonious debate about conscription which arose during World War I . The party strongly opposed conscription, and several leading members – Peter Fraser , Harry Holland , Bob Semple and Paddy Webb – were jailed and expelled from Parliament for their stand against
14535-489: The United Party. In 1931 United passed a number of economic measures which Labour deemed hostile to workers, and the agreement between the two parties collapsed. United then formed a coalition government with Reform, making Labour the Opposition. The coalition retained power in the 1931 election , but gradually, the public became highly dissatisfied with its failure to resolve the country's economic problems. Harry Holland died in 1933 and his deputy, Michael Joseph Savage, became
14706-431: The ability to use social media to organise and promote terrorism and violent extremism ". On 14 March 2020, Ardern announced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand that the government would be requiring anyone entering the country from midnight 15 March to isolate themselves for 14 days. She said the new rules will mean New Zealand has the "widest ranging and toughest border restrictions of any country in
14877-413: The beginning of Labour's first term in office. The new government quickly set about implementing a number of significant reforms, including a reorganisation of the social-welfare system and setting up the state housing scheme. Workers also benefited from the introduction of the forty-hour week, and legislation making it easier for unions to negotiate on their behalf. Savage himself was highly popular with
15048-533: The best result for the party since losing power in 2008. The rival Labour and National parties lacked sufficient seats to govern alone and held talks with the Greens and New Zealand First parties about forming a coalition. Under the country's mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system, New Zealand First held the balance of power and chose to be part of a coalition government with Labour. On 19 October 2017, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters agreed to form
15219-417: The capital, Wellington . She also travelled to Christchurch to meet first responders and families of the victims. In an address at the Parliament, she declared she would never say the name of the attacker: "Speak the names of those who were lost rather than the name of the man who took them ... he will, when I speak, be nameless." Ardern received international praise for her response to the shootings, and
15390-477: The capture of specific voters instead of the general population. The popularity of centrism in the Western World is contradicted by the relative electoral weakness of centrist parties. One possible explanation for the paradox is that centrists may be perceived as lacking the leadership or capability demonstrated by leaders of other ideologies. Another is that centrists are unable to increase their vote share because
15561-501: The centre and encourages polarisation. Anthony Downs proposed a model in which a centrist party emerges after the left-wing and right-wing parties diverge from a centrist-leaning public. Hans Daalder [ nl ] rejected the concept of a singular political centre entirely. When parties become more extreme, disaffected moderates may be enticed to join centrist parties when they would otherwise have been unwilling to join an opposing party. More broadly, polarisation can lead to
15732-584: The centre in the 1990s and 2000s. The centre-right, previously dominated by neoliberalism , became more accepting of the welfare state, and it showed more support for combatting poverty and inequality. This included the "kinder, gentler America" championed by George H. W. Bush in the United States, Die Neue Mitte ( transl. The New Centre ) of Gerhard Schröder in Germany, the British " Thatcherism with
15903-404: The centre is challenged by parties that seek to undermine the legitimacy of the political system. These parties come from both the left and the right and have different positions on how the government should function, which prevents them from unifying against the centre, giving the centre an opportunity to retain power. According to the median voter theorem , parties are incentivised to move toward
16074-444: The centre than right-leaning liberalism. Parties associated with social democracy and green politics commonly adopt the liberal position on social issues. Green parties , usually associated with left-wing politics, have a history of centrist economic policies in Central and Eastern Europe. Christian democracy , often considered a centre-right ideology, is sometimes grouped with the centre. Agrarianism may also be grouped with
16245-535: The centre when it maintained an element of working class revolution. Empires were forced to maintain the political centre, avoiding reactionary or revolutionary politics that could have affected their stability. Centrist liberalism was slower to develop outside of the great powers of Western Europe. By the 1830s, conservatism and radicalism in Western Europe began a shift toward moderation as they accepted ideas associated with centrist liberalism. The United Kingdom
16416-662: The centre-right to form a rightward flank. Centrist liberalism has only a minor presence in the Middle East, where it is overshadowed by leftism and Islamism . More developed countries in Latin America often have prominent centrist parties supported by the middle class. These have historically included the Radical Civic Union of Argentina, the Brazilian Democratic Movement , the Radical Party of Chile , and
16587-452: The centre. Agrarian parties are associated with the interests of farmers and other people associated with agriculture . Decentralization and environmental protection are also major agrarian ideals. These parties often developed in European countries where there was not a strong liberal movement, and vice versa, but they became less relevant by the mid-20th century. Radical centrism
16758-664: The country a nuclear-free zone , which resulted in suspension from the ANZUS alliance. Labour liberalised immigration policy and promoted migration from Asia. Other innovations during the term of the Fourth Labour Government included extending the jurisdiction of the Waitangi Tribunal back to 1840 (the date of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi ); the Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986 , which legalised homosexual relations; and
16929-598: The country's minimum wage and introduced the Provincial Growth Fund to invest in rural infrastructure projects. The National Party's planned tax cuts were cancelled, saying instead it would prioritise expenditure on healthcare and education. The first year of post-secondary education was made free from 1 January 2018 and, after industrial action, the government agreed to increase primary teachers' pay by 12.8 (for beginning teachers) and 18.5 per cent (for senior teachers without other responsibilities) by 2021. Despite
17100-511: The course of the 1920s. In the 1922 election , Labour more than doubled its number of seats, winning seventeen. In the 1925 election , it declined somewhat but had the consolation of soon overtaking the Liberals as the second-largest party. Labour leader Harry Holland became the official Leader of the Opposition on 16 June 1926, after the Eden by-election on 15 April elected Rex Mason (Labour) to replace James Parr (Reform), who had resigned. After
17271-434: The direction of policy remained concealed. Despite taking votes from affluent areas, Labour suffered negative swings in more traditional seats, while the blue-ribbon seat of Remuera nearly fell into the Labour column. The government's second term (1987–1990), with an increased Labour majority won on the back of Lange's anti-nuclear stance, saw emerging divisions over economic policy arising within Cabinet. Ministers debated
17442-436: The economy from a protectionist one through extensive deregulation . As part of Rogernomics , Labour privatised state assets and greatly reduced the role of the state, causing a party split in 1989. Labour prime minister David Lange , a member of the party's left , also introduced New Zealand's nuclear-free policy . After a significant defeat in the 1990 election , Labour's neoliberal faction would largely defect from
17613-407: The emergence of several anti-vaccination protest groups including Voices for Freedom and Brian Tamaki 's The Freedoms and Rights Coalition , culminating in the 2022 occupation of Parliament's grounds . On 19 January 2023, Ardern announced her resignation as party leader and therefore prime minister. In the resultant leadership election Chris Hipkins was the only candidate and was confirmed as
17784-702: The exact boundaries of what constitutes centrism are not perfectly defined, but its specific placement on the left–right political spectrum makes its position clearer relative to other ideologies. Centrism most commonly refers to a set of moderate political beliefs between left-wing politics and right-wing politics . Individuals who describe themselves as centrist may hold strong beliefs that align with moderate politics, or they may identify as centrist because they do not hold particularly strong left-wing or right-wing beliefs. In some cases, individuals who simultaneously hold strong left-wing beliefs and strong right-wing beliefs may also describe themselves as centrist. Although
17955-465: The extent and pace of further reforms, and there was disillusion among party members and supporters loyal to Labour's left-wing tradition. The Council of Trade Unions criticised the Labour Party. One vocal member of Parliament critical of government policy, former Party President Jim Anderton , departed to establish the NewLabour Party , which later became a part of the left-wing Alliance Party . At
18126-579: The far-right Centre Party in the Netherlands. Relative to left-wing and right-wing parties, centrist parties are infrequently studied in political science. Centrism is part of the left–right political spectrum that developed during the French Revolution . When the National Assembly was organised, reactionary conservatives coalesced in the seats to the speaker's right, while the radicals sat on
18297-500: The farming lobby group Federated Farmers staged a protest against the taxes in Ardern's hometown of Morrinsville. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters attended the protest to campaign but was jeered at by the farmers because they suspected he was also in favour of the taxes. During the protest, one farmer displayed a sign calling Ardern a "pretty communist". This was criticised as misogynistic by former prime minister Helen Clark. In
18468-468: The few Western nations to successfully contain the virus. It is estimated that her government's actions saved as many as 80,000 lives. Ardern moved the Labour Party further to the centre towards the October 2020 general election , promising to cut spending during the remainder of the COVID-19 recession . She led the Labour Party to a landslide victory , gaining an overall majority of 65 seats in Parliament,
18639-419: The final days of the general election campaign, the opinion polls narrowed with National taking a slight lead. During the general election held on 23 September 2017, Ardern retained her Mount Albert electorate seat by a margin of 15,264 votes. Labour increased its vote share to 36.89 per cent while National dropped back to 44.45. Labour gained 14 seats, increasing its parliamentary representation to 46 seats,
18810-417: The first female prime minister to speak from the top marae . Her visit was largely well received by Māori leaders, with commentators noting a sharp contrast with the acrimonious responses received by several of her predecessors. On 24 August 2018, Ardern removed Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran from Cabinet after she failed to disclose a meeting with a broadcaster outside of parliamentary business, which
18981-453: The first time a majority government had been formed since the introduction of a proportional representation system in 1996. On 19 January 2023, Ardern announced she would resign as Labour leader. Following the unopposed election of Chris Hipkins as her successor, she resigned as leader of the Labour Party on 22 January and submitted her resignation as prime minister to the governor-general on 25 January. Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern
19152-473: The first time in over a decade. During the 2017 election , Labour gained 36.6% of the party vote and increased its presence in the House of Representatives to 46 seats, making it the second-largest party in Parliament. On 19 October 2017, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters announced that his party would form a coalition government with Labour, citing changing international and internal economic circumstances as
19323-480: The first time in over a decade. Detractors observed her positions were substantially similar to those of Andrew Little, and suggested that Labour's sudden increase in popularity were due to her youth and good looks. In mid-August, Ardern stated that a Labour government would establish a tax working group to explore the possibility of introducing a capital gains tax but ruled out taxing family homes. In response to negative publicity, Ardern abandoned plans to introduce
19494-515: The first time. Relations between the two countries had been strained in the preceding months because of Australia's treatment of New Zealanders living in the country, and shortly before taking office, Ardern had spoken of the need to rectify this situation, and to develop a better working relationship with the Australian government. Turnbull described the meeting in cordial terms: "we trust each other...The fact we are from different political traditions
19665-547: The forthcoming election campaign would be one of "relentless positivity". Immediately following her appointment, the party was inundated with donations by the public, reaching NZ$ 700 per minute at its peak. After Ardern's ascension to the leadership, Labour rose dramatically in opinion polls . By late August, the party had reached 43 per cent in the Colmar Brunton poll (having been 24 per cent under Little's leadership) as well as managing to overtake National in opinion polls for
19836-401: The founding of the first nationwide federation of trade unions (the " Red Federation "). The Labour Party was established by trade unions, among other groups, and the party identifies itself as part of the wider labour movement in New Zealand. The Labour Party has long been identified with red, a political colour traditionally affiliated with socialism and the labour movement. At the turn of
20007-559: The fragmentation of the left and right into multiple parties, allowing a centrist party to perpetually be the Condorcet winner . Polarisation may also weaken a centrist party if both ends of a polarised society are made to oppose centrism. Centrist parties make up a specific party family and have commonalities across different nations and political systems. In the Nordic countries where social democracy dominates politics, centrism competes with
20178-590: The front bench, naming her Labour's spokesperson for Youth Affairs and as associate spokesperson for Justice (Youth Affairs). She made regular appearances on TVNZ 's Breakfast programme as part of the "Young Guns" feature, in which she appeared alongside National MP (and future National leader) Simon Bridges . Ardern contested the seat of Auckland Central for Labour in the 2011 general election , standing against incumbent National MP Nikki Kaye for National and Greens candidate Denise Roche . She lost to Kaye by 717 votes. However, she returned to Parliament via
20349-473: The government instead of left-wing or right-wing populism . Centrism developed with the left–right political spectrum during the French Revolution , when assemblymen associated with neither the radicals nor the reactionaries sat between the two groups. Liberalism became the dominant centrist ideology in the 18th century with its support for anti-clericalism and individual rights , challenging both conservatism and socialism . Agrarianism briefly existed as
20520-492: The government opposed New Zealand military action in the Iraq War . In early 2004 Labour came under attack in the foreshore and seabed controversy . Significant internal tensions within the party eventually culminated in the resignation of junior minister Tariana Turia and her establishment of the new Māori Party . Following the 2005 election , Labour formed a coalition with the Progressive Party (breakaway party of
20691-639: The ideals that would accompany liberalism as it became the predominant centrist ideology in Europe. The political centre became a major force in England and France after the Napoleonic Wars . English centrism came from the Whigs , such as Henry Peter Brougham and Thomas Babington Macaulay . French centrism was supported by the Doctrinaires , such as Pierre Paul Royer-Collard and François Guizot . The Bonapartism of Napoleon III brought French conservatism to
20862-569: The ideological space around them is already occupied by other parties. Politicians with high approval might move to the centre to capitalise on their popularity with a larger voter base, while those seen as uncharismatic or incompetent may shift away from the centre to capture more reliable activist voters who will invest more into the politician's campaign. Opponents of centrism may describe it as opportunistic. Centrist-controlled governments are much rarer than left-wing or right-wing governments. While approximately 30% of world leaders were centrist in
21033-524: The immediate aftermath of the war. Under the leadership of Alcide De Gasperi , it absorbed the centre-left and centre-right to create a centrist grouping and combat the Italian Communist Party . The group fractured during a leftward shift in the 1950s and 1960s as the leadership invited socialists into the party, hoping to deprive the Communist Party of an ally. This created a scenario in which
21204-401: The introduction of the MMP system in 1996. Described as a "landslide" victory in which the party won the party vote in "virtually every single electorate", Labour is believed to have gained support from swing voters , many of whom had previously voted for National under John Key . On 20 October, Newshub reported that Ardern was not intending to forge a formal coalition with the Green Party but
21375-704: The issue of Xinjiang internment camps and human-rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim minority in China. Ardern has also raised concerns over the persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar . Ardern travelled to Nauru , where she attended the 2018 Pacific Islands Forum . Media and political opponents criticised her decision to travel separately from the rest of her contingent, costing taxpayers up to NZ$ 100,000, so that she could spend more time with her daughter. At
21546-661: The labour movement and to establish a united front. Accordingly, Walter Thomas Mills organised another Unity Conference , and this time the Socialists attended. The resulting group was named the Social Democratic Party . Not all members of the United Labour Party accepted the new organisation, however, and some continued under their own banner. Gradually, however, the differences between the Social Democrats and
21717-577: The late-19th century through the Mugwumps of the Republican Party . The radical movement gave way to centrism after the 1870s as they both coalesced around ideals of republicanism , secularism , self-education , cooperation , land reform , and internationalism . Toward the end of the 19th century, agrarianism became a significant political movement in Europe to represent farmers' interests. Western social science intertwined itself with centrism in
21888-445: The left-centre-right trichotomy is well established in political science , individuals far from the political centre may occasionally reframe it, with the far-right alleging that the centre is leftist and the far-left alleging that the centre is rightist. Likewise, they may allege that their more moderate counterparts, the centre-left and the centre-right , are actually centrists because they are insufficiently radical. Liberalism
22059-497: The new Labour leader on 22 January. Hipkins' premiership saw a shift in focus to "cost of living issues" and a "policy bonfire" that saw the scrapping or revision of several Government policies and initiatives including the planned merger of public broadcasters RNZ and TVNZ , a biofuel mandate, lowering the voting age to 16 years and the Clean Car Upgrade programme. Hipkins' government also responded to two natural disasters,
22230-472: The new leader. Ardern stood again in Auckland Central at the 2014 general election . She again finished second though increased her own vote and reduced Kaye's majority from 717 to 600. Ranked 5th on Labour's list, Ardern was still returned to Parliament where she became Shadow spokesperson for Justice, Children, Small Business, and Arts & Culture under new leader Andrew Little . In 2014 Ardern
22401-401: The new minister of finance, which raised taxes on alcohol, cigarettes, cars, and petrol. It is widely thought to have doomed the party to defeat despite the economy rejuvenating less than a year after the adoption of the Black Budget. In the 1960 election , the National Party returned to power. The elderly Nash retired in 1963, suffering from ill health. Nordmeyer replaced him, but the taint of
22572-458: The old Alliance), and entered into complex confidence and supply agreements with the centrist United Future and New Zealand First parties, which gave each party's leader a ministerial portfolio, while the support parties remained outside the Cabinet. A limited support agreement also linked Labour with the Green Party , giving certain policy concessions to the Greens in return for abstention on confidence-and-supply votes. Labour lost power when
22743-468: The only nations to retain strong agrarian parties. The Holocaust ended support for any scientific racism and eugenics espoused by centrist liberals, as they instead adopted antiracism as scientific truth. Following World War II, middle class centrist parties in developed countries became less common as they moved leftward or rightward. Italy was dominated by the Christian Democracy party in
22914-573: The original TPP agreement. Ardern attended the 2017 APEC summit in Vietnam, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 in London (featuring a private audience with Queen Elizabeth II ) and a United Nations summit in New York City. After her first formal meeting with Donald Trump she reported that the US president showed "interest" in New Zealand's gun buyback programme . In 2018, Ardern raised
23085-405: The other factions. The fall of dictatorships in countries such as Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Portugal in the 1980s was met by centrist parties that became the primary forces in transitioning the nations to democracy. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, centrist liberalism was seen as the dominant force in politics. The centre-left and the centre-right both moved closer to
23256-481: The outgoing Third National Government . Government debt was skyrocketing, due largely to the costs of borrowing to maintain a fixed exchange-rate . When the result of the election became clear, Lange asked Muldoon to devalue the New Zealand dollar , which Muldoon refused to do, resulting in a constitutional crisis and precipitating some of the changes in the Constitution Act 1986 . The economic-policy agenda of
23427-401: The party and form ACT New Zealand . Labour again became the largest party from 1999 to 2008 , when it governed in coalition with, or based on negotiated support from, several minor parties; Helen Clark became the first Labour prime minister to secure a third full term in office. Clark's government was marked by the creation of Kiwibank , a state-owned banking corporation; strong opposition to
23598-441: The party list, on which she was ranked 13th. Ardern maintained an office within the electorate while she was a list MP based in Auckland Central. After Goff resigned from the Party leadership following his defeat at the 2011 election, Ardern supported David Shearer over David Cunliffe . She was elevated to the fourth-ranking position in his Shadow Cabinet on 19 December 2011, becoming a spokesperson for social development under
23769-526: The party list. In February 2024, Labour reversed its previous support for New Zealand entering the non-nuclear component of the AUKUS , with foreign affairs spokesperson Phil Twyford describing it as an "offensive warfighting alliance against China." In April 2024, Labour called for New Zealand to recognise Palestinian statehood . Centrism Centrism is the range of political ideologies that exist between left-wing politics and right-wing politics on
23940-477: The party membership. In the leadership contest he won first-preference votes from only one-third of Labour MPs. Cunliffe's tenure as leader quickly became mired in internal disputes and falling poll-ratings. Labour went on to suffer its worst electoral reversal since 1922 at the 2014 election, Cunliffe opted to resign after initially wishing to re-contest the leadership. His replacement, Andrew Little (2014–2017), then resigned in 2017 following new polling showing
24111-464: The party sinking to a record low result of 24%, with internal voices hoping that rising star Jacinda Ardern would take over in his stead. The caucus confirmed Ardern as the new Labour leader (2017–2023). After Ardern's election to its parliamentary leadership Labour rose dramatically in opinion polls. By late August they had risen to 43% in one poll (having been 24% under Little's leadership), as well as managing to overtake National in opinion polls for
24282-429: The party would co-operate with the investigation. The 2017–2020 term saw several ministerial resignations for various indiscretions, notably Phil Twyford , Clare Curran , Meka Whaitiri and David Clark . In the 2020 election , Labour gained 50% of the party vote and increased its presence in the House of Representatives to 65 seats, marking the first time that a party has won enough seats to govern alone since
24453-420: The party's former leader, the "doctrinaire" Harry Holland, had marked a significant turning-point in the party's history. Some within the party, however, were displeased about the changing focus of the party. Most notably, John A. Lee . Lee, whose views were a mixture of socialism and social credit theory, emerged as a vocal critic of the party's leadership, accusing it of behaving autocratically and of betraying
24624-481: The party's rank and file. After a long and bitter dispute, the Party expelled Lee from the party, who then established his own breakaway Democratic Labour Party . Savage died in 1940 and Peter Fraser , who became Labour's longest-serving prime minister, replaced him. Fraser became best-known as New Zealand's head of government for most of World War II . In the post-war period, however, ongoing shortages and industrial problems cost Labour considerable popularity, and
24795-434: The political centre to maximise votes and to have the final say on closely-contested policies. Centrist parties face some intrinsic disadvantages when competing with left-wing and right-wing parties. Elections based on first-past-the-post voting or proportional representation provide less incentive for parties to hold centrist positions. Proportional representation systems weaken centrist parties because they incentivise
24966-399: The political centre, giving centrist parties hold a strong position in the formation of coalition governments, as they can accommodate both left-wing and right-wing parties. This gives them additional leverage in the formation of a minority government . When radical parties become viable, forming a coalition with the centre can force them to moderate. Once in a coalition, the centrist party
25137-465: The political environment. Goff led Labour into a second electoral defeat in 2011 and was succeeded by David Shearer , who led the Labour parliamentary from 2011 to 2013. Shearer resigned after losing the confidence of caucus. David Cunliffe (2013–2014) assumed the leadership after the 2013 leadership election in which, under new rules, members and unions held 60% of the vote. Most of the Labour caucus disliked Cunliffe, but he had strong support from
25308-667: The public sector including entrenching Māori wards and constituencies in local government , the Three Waters reform programme , and creating Te Aka Whai Ora (the Māori Health Authority). Following a major COVID-19 outbreak in August 2021, the Labour Government abandoned its elimination strategy and gradually eased lockdown, border restrictions, vaccine mandates and masking requirements between 2021 and 2022. During that period, growing opposition to lockdowns and vaccine mandates led to
25479-680: The reasoning behind his decision, coupled with a belief that a Labour government was best-placed to handle the social and economic welfare of New Zealanders in a global environment that was undergoing rapid and "seismic" change. This coalition, combined with confidence and supply from the Green Party, saw Labour return to government for the first time since 2008. Ardern became prime minister, with Peters as her deputy. The Labour government pledged to eliminate child poverty, make tertiary education free, reduce immigration by 20,000 to 30,000, decriminalise abortion , and make all rivers swimmable within 10 years. Notable policies, programmes and legislation during
25650-428: The resignation of David Shearer on 8 December 2016. When nominations for the Labour Party closed on 12 January 2017, Ardern was the only nominee and was selected unopposed. On 21 January, Ardern participated in the 2017 Women's March , a worldwide protest in opposition to Donald Trump , the newly inaugurated president of the United States. She was confirmed as Labour's candidate at a meeting on 22 January. Ardern won
25821-435: The role of acting prime minister for six weeks after the birth. Following the birth of a daughter, she took her maternity leave from 21 June to 2 August 2018. Ardern promised to halve child poverty in New Zealand within a decade. In July 2018, Ardern announced the start of her government's flagship Families Package. Among its provisions, the package gradually increased paid parental leave to 26 weeks and introduced
25992-437: The safe National electorate of Waikato . Ardern was unsuccessful in the electorate vote, but her high placement on Labour's party list allowed her to enter Parliament as a list MP . Upon election, she became the youngest sitting MP in Parliament, succeeding fellow Labour MP Darren Hughes , and remained the youngest MP until the election of Gareth Hughes on 11 February 2010. Opposition leader Phil Goff promoted Ardern to
26163-607: The sale of tobacco to anyone born after 1 January 2009, repealing "three strikes" legislation , and banning live animal exports. In terms of foreign policy, the Labour Government supported Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , sanctioned Russia, signed free trade agreements with both the United Kingdom and European Union , and advocated restraint in response to the Israel-Hamas War . The Government also implemented several co-governance arrangements in
26334-561: The same time Roger Douglas and Lange fought intermittent battles inside Cabinet, with Douglas wanting to expand his economic programme dramatically. Lange strongly opposed a flat-tax proposal from Douglas and moved to sack him, resulting in political clashes throughout 1988 and the departure of Douglas from the Cabinet in December 1988. After the Labour Caucus re-elected Douglas to Cabinet on 3 August 1989, Lange resigned from office himself (8 August 1989), interpreting Douglas's reappointment as
26505-615: The secondary-school qualifications system by introducing the NCEA , and the introduction of fourteen weeks' parental leave. Labour also supported the Civil Union Act 2004 , which legalised civil unions for same-sex and opposite-sex couples. The foreign policy of the Fifth Labour Government strongly reflected liberal internationalist doctrine, with a particular emphasis on promoting democracy and human rights, advocating for antimilitarism and disarmament , and encouragement of free trade. In 2003,
26676-435: The sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting. During the 25-minute meeting, the two leaders discussed various issues including tourism, the Christchurch mosque shooting , and bilateral trade. During the meeting, Trump expressed an interest in New Zealand's gun buy-back scheme. The two leaders had earlier met briefly at the 2017 East Asia Summit, the 2017 APEC Summit, and during an exclusive party following
26847-476: The speaker's left. The moderates who were not affiliated with either faction sat in the centre seats, and they came to be known as the centrists. While liberalism began as a centre-left challenger to conservatism, it came to occupy the political centre of Western politics at the beginning of the 19th century as it also opposed radicalism and socialism. Liberal support for anti-clericalism and individual rights developed in opposition to conservatism, establishing
27018-549: The total abolition of the upper class . Centrist liberalism seeks institutional reform, but it prioritises prudence when enacting change. European centrist parties are typically in favour of European integration and were the primary movers in the development of the European Union . Whether political positions are considered centrist can change over time; when radical positions become more widely accepted in society, they can become centrist positions. In multi-party systems ,
27189-455: The use of social programs. In many Latin American nations, opposing presidential candidates campaigned on similar platforms and often supported retaining their predecessors' policies without any significant changes, shifting the focus of elections to personality over ideology. Support for centrism declined globally after the 2007–2008 financial crisis as it was challenged by populism and political polarisation . As of 2015, centrists made up
27360-461: The war. The loss of leadership threatened to seriously destabilise the party, but the party survived. (Fraser, Semple and Webb later supported conscription in World War II .) In its first real electoral test as a united party, the 1919 election , Labour won eight seats – the party's quick success shocked many conservatives. The eight seats compared with 47 for the governing Reform Party and 21 for
27531-486: The western liberal consensus. In the Pacific, New Caledonia did not form a strong centrist movement until the 1990s as a consequence of the independence question. Conservative groups had actively suppressed centrist figures like Caledonian Union leader Maurice Lenormand [ fr ] , who was accused of being a communist and prosecuted for allegedly organising the bombing of his own party newspaper's headquarters in
27702-455: The working classes, and his portrait could be found on walls in many houses around the country. At this time the Labour Party pursued an alliance with the Māori Rātana movement. The parliamentary opposition, meanwhile, attacked the Labour Party's more left-wing policies and accused it of undermining free enterprise and hard work. In May 1936, months after Labour's first general election win,
27873-721: Was also selected, attended and graduated from the World Economic Forum 's (WEF) Forum of Young Global Leaders , founded by Klaus Schwab , which takes place in Switzerland. She remains involved publicly as a part of the Young Global Leaders Alumni Community, and speaks at WEF events. Ardern put forward her name for the Labour nomination for the Mount Albert by-election to be held in February 2017 following
28044-465: Was born on 26 July 1980 in Hamilton , New Zealand. She grew up in Morrinsville and Murupara , where her father, Ross Ardern , worked as a police officer, and her mother, Laurell Ardern ( née Bottomley ), worked as a school catering assistant. She has an older sister named Louise. Ardern was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and her uncle, Ian S. Ardern,
28215-415: Was born. Soon afterward, the labour movement went through the 1912 Waihi miners' strike , a major industrial disturbance prompted by radicals in the union movement. The movement split over supporting or opposing the radicals, and in the end, the conservative Reform Party government of William Massey suppressed the strike by force. In the strike's aftermath, there was a major drive to end the divisions in
28386-478: Was challenged by right-wing conservatism and Catholicism. Centrism faced increased pressure beginning in the interwar period as left-wing politics saw a resurgence, meaning centrism was challenged from both directions. Agrarianism lost much of its influence in the 1930s as nations fell under right-wing dictatorships, and its return in the 1940s was short-lived as nations fell under communist rule. The Nordic countries, which were mostly spared from both movements, were
28557-427: Was compared by media unfavourably to Muldoon, and did not cope well with Muldoon's aggressive style. In 1983 Rowling was replaced as parliamentary leader by David Lange , whom the parliamentary caucus perceived as more charismatic. In the snap election of 1984 , Labour decisively defeated the National Party. When the Fourth Labour Government came into power it uncovered a fiscal crisis that had been largely hidden by
28728-471: Was exploring the possibility of a lower-level support arrangement due to Labour's large parliamentary majority. Following prolonged negotiations, the Green Party agreed to enter into a cooperation agreement with the Labour Party on 31 October and received two ministerial portfolios in return. Despite this landslide victory Labour faced criticism from economists due to the government's lack of action on New Zealand's housing affordability crisis , despite it being
28899-429: Was judged to be a conflict of interest. Curran remained a minister outside Cabinet, and Ardern was criticised by the Opposition for not dismissing Curran from her portfolio. Ardern later accepted Curran's resignation. In 2019, she was criticised for her handling of an allegation of sexual assault against a Labour Party staffer. Ardern said she had been told the allegation did not involve sexual assault or violence before
29070-465: Was mid-way through her presidency term that Ardern became a list MP for the Labour Party. She then continued to manage both roles for the next 15 months. Ahead of the 2008 election, Ardern was ranked 20th on Labour's party list . This was a very high placement for someone who was not already a sitting MP, and virtually assured her of a seat in Parliament. Accordingly, Ardern returned from London to campaign full-time. She also became Labour's candidate for
29241-412: Was spared from the many revolutions during the early 19th century as its conservatives took a decisively centrist position, enlightened conservatism, and expressed willingness to compromise with the nation's strong radical element. As radicalism declined in Western Europe, liberalism and conservatism became the two dominant political movements. The United States saw a centrist liberal movement develop in
#685314