2023-11-27 05:16:46
New Zealand is changing political sides. Former Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon officially took office as prime minister on Monday, pledging to bring inflation under control “so we can lower interest rates and make food more affordable.” affordable “.
Aged 53, he took up his post six weeks after the national election victory of his conservative political party, the National Party, which ended the six years in power of the Labor Party led by Jacinda Ardern.
Priority to the economy
Christopher Luxon was sworn in as leader of the new coalition government at a ceremony in the capital Wellington. “It’s an honor and a huge responsibility,” he said. “The number one task is to restore the economy,” he said.
The former Labor government struggled to control the rising cost of living, a global problem blamed in part on difficulties in supplying raw materials due to the pandemic and then the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The former prime minister, Labor Party leader Chris Hipkins, took over from Jacinda Ardern in January. The latter had ended her five-year mandate, having “no longer enough energy”.
Christopher Luxon therefore becomes the 42nd Prime Minister of New Zealand after establishing a coalition government during long negotiations which ended on Friday. The National Party formed a three-party coalition with the conservative ACT Party and the populist New Zealand First Party to govern in the 123-seat Parliament.
The mandate of the Vice-Prime split in two
For the first time in New Zealand, the role of Deputy Prime Minister will be split into two 18-month terms. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, 78, was sworn in alongside Christopher Luxon as deputy prime minister, but will step down at the end of May 2025. He will be replaced by ACT leader David Seymour, for the remainder of the legislature which is to last three years.
In its first 100 days in power, the National Party promised to tackle crime, ban cellphones in schools and scrap planned fuel tax hikes.
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