Election day dawns in New Zealand to choose next prime minister

WELLINGTON - Polls opened in New Zealand on Saturday in the first national elections since the shock resignation of former premier Jacinda Ardern in January, reported dpa news.

The election is being billed as a "clash of the Chrises" with incumbent Chris Hipkins, of Labour, up against Christopher Luxon, of National.

Hipkins took over as prime minister following the resignation of Ardern, who led the country from 2017 to 2013.

The populist anti-immigration New Zealand First party, led by Winston Peters, is likely to be a key player in the country's next parliament.

Polls have the right-wing grouping of National, ACT, and New Zealand First ahead, however, margins remain tight and there is uncertainty about the stability of that coalition.

Peters and Hipkins have both ruled out working with each other, while National has warned of the possibility of a "second election" if it is forced to negotiate with Peters after the election.

Preliminary results will be released progressively on Saturday after polls close. If the result is close, voters may not find out who the government will be until after the final vote count on Nov 3.

To form a government, a party or coalition needs at least 61 of the parliament's 120 seats.

However, the death of ACT's Neil Christensen a week before the election has triggered a by-election for November 25, meaning there will be 121 lawmakers in parliament.

More than 1.1 million of the 3.8 million eligible voters had taken advantage of early voting by Friday.

Voting centres close at 7pm (0600 GMT). - BERNAMA-dpa