Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has firmly rejected speculation about his future as leader, saying he is not considering stepping down despite a new poll placing the National Party in the 20s.
The comments follow the release of a Taxpayers’ Union–Curia poll showing National on 28.4 percent, a drop of nearly three points compared with the previous month. Labour has risen to 34.4 percent, while the Greens, ACT and Te Pāti Māori have also recorded gains. New Zealand First has slipped slightly to 9.7 percent.
Based on those numbers, the centre-left bloc could hold 61 seats in Parliament, enough to form a government, while the current coalition grouping would fall just short on 59 seats.
Speaking on Newstalk ZB, Luxon dismissed suggestions that the poll result should trigger a leadership rethink, insisting he remains focused on leading both the National Party and the country. He said speculation about his future was misplaced and maintained he has the backing of his Cabinet colleagues and caucus.
Luxon also downplayed the significance of the public poll, saying the only surveys he takes seriously are National’s internal polling, which he said is independently processed in the United Kingdom. According to the Prime Minister, if there were a genuine issue with his leadership he would address it directly, but he believes the situation is far from that point.
The political pressure comes after a difficult week for Luxon, including criticism over his handling of communications around the escalating conflict involving Iran. The Prime Minister acknowledged he does not always deliver polished political messaging, noting he is not a career politician.
Despite the criticism and polling setback, Luxon says he retains the confidence of his team and intends to continue leading the government as it heads toward the 2026 general election, scheduled for November.
Political observers say the latest polling is likely to intensify scrutiny of the government’s performance, with opposition parties already pointing to growing dissatisfaction among voters as the election year approaches.
