Election leaves National as a rural and provincial party
Rural voters split their electorate and party votes, and special votes look set to confirm a narrow centre-right lead.
|November 9, 2026Listen to the full interview:
Rural voters split their electorate and party votes, leaving National with the largest rural and provincial hold.
Former MP and political commentator Peter Dunne says it shows the country-town divide continuing to develop in politics.
“I think that’s going to be something that everyone will have to just keep their eye on over the next three years and how that plays out long term,” he says.
Peter says the special votes look set to confirm a centre-right government, ahead “by the skin of its teeth”.
He says the new-to-Parliament Opportunity Party’s first job is winning a second term.
“They will have to sit on the crossbenches, offer confidence and supply and negotiate on every other issue.”
Peter says National loses two of its most respected ministers in Nicola Willis and Chris Bishop.
Watch the full interview:
CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch/listen or download the CountryWide CONNECT mobile app, available on Apple iOS and Android.
