New Zealand's election: Key change for Kiwis

A long time coming in New Zealand, too NOT quite Obama v McCain. But New Zealand’s general election on November 8th also ushered in political change. Voters resoundingly rejected the Labour-led centre-left coalition led by Helen Clark, prime minister since 1999, and turned to the centre-right National Party. Under New Zealand’s mixed member-proportional system, National won 59 of 122 parliamentary seats, but it can also count on the six seats of two small right-wing parties. John Key, the new prime minister, is Barack Obama’s age, 47, and relatively new to politics. A millionaire former investment banker of humble origins, his amiable personality went down well in a lacklustre campaign. Yet up to the end, Miss Clark, who has since stepped down as Labour leader, enjoyed high personal ratings and international praise. Labour has presided over huge reductions in government debt and unemployment, steady GDP growth, the creation of savings schemes and bilateral trade deals. Earlier ... (link)