Winning the most votes doesn’t automatically make you the government. What matters is who can get the support of more than half of Parliament — at least 61 of the 120 seats.
Why coalitions happen
Under MMP, one party rarely wins 61 seats alone. So after the election, parties talk and team up to reach a majority together. This is a coalition.
The agreements
Parties write down what they’ve agreed — which policies they’ll support and which ministers each party gets. A smaller party might sign a “confidence and supply” deal to support the bigger party without fully joining.
Forming the government
Once a group can show it has 61+ seats, the Governor-General appoints its leader as Prime Minister. Use the tools below to combine parties into a majority.
Try it yourself
Test what you learned
Based on civics material from parliament.nz and the Electoral Commission (elections.nz). Non-partisan and free to use.