New Zealand election still too close to call

New Zealanders faced weeks

of uncertainty on Sunday over who will govern the country after

their general election, with the current coalition holding a

slim majority but a potentially decisive slice of votes still to

count.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's National Party and its

partners ACT and New Zealand First were on track for 67 of the

currently projected 131-seat parliament, Electoral Commission

preliminary results of Saturday's vote showed. Sixty-six seats

are needed for a majority.

But special votes, around 14% of the total, remain to be

counted, the commission said. These - including ballots from

overseas New Zealanders and people voting outside their

electorates - have historically favoured the left. They will be

announced with the final count on November 27.

Until a coalition to govern New Zealand for the next three

years is formed, Luxon will head a caretaker government.