NZ LEADERSHIP CHANGE : National Party leader Christopher Luxon, acknowledges support after his party’s win of New Zealand’s Saturday elections that will make him new Prime Minister. BBC Photo
Staff Writer
Christopher Luxon is destined to become a household name in Samoa, along the same ranking as Jacinda Ardern, David Langi, Helen Clarke, Robert Muldoon and more.
All share the same tag of New Zealand Prime Minister to distinguished their leadership status in a country that is second home to Samoans.
Christopher Luxon is the National Party leader soon to step up as newly elected New Zealand Prime Minister, following the Saturday, week-end general elections in the country.
“I am immensely proud to say that on the numbers tonight, National will be able to lead the next government,” Mr Luxon was quoted saying by the New Zealand media.
Luxon, 53, is a businessman and former CEO of Air New Zealand who became leader of the National Party in 2021.
His elevated status was summed up in a New Zealand Herald headline ‘From CEO to Prime Minister’.
He became an MP in 2020 and National leader only a year later.
Before becoming leader of the opposition, he was party spokesman for various government departments and a member of several select committees.
Incumbent New Zealand PM and Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins has already conceded his party’s election loss.
The 44 year old Hipkins was first elected to Parliament in 2008 and spearheaded the country’s Covid-19 policies in 2020.
Before becoming prime minister, he was minister of education, minister of police, minister for the public service, and leader of the house.
The provisional results, with the final count due to be become official in 3 weeks, National won 50 seats (up 17 since the 2020 election), Labour 34 (down 31), the Greens 14 (up four), ACT 11 (up one), NZ First eight (returning to parliament), and Te Pāti Māori/the Māori party four (up two).
There are 121 seats overall (up one from the last parliament).