New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon yesterday said that he was open to a referendum on whether to change the country’s electoral system.New Zealand adopted the German-style Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system in 1996 after an inquiry found that smaller parties were being shut out of parliament under the previous first-past-the-post system adopted from Britain.Luxon said in an interview with radio station Newstalk ZB that a referendum is “something we should consider” and could be held as early as next year if he returns to power following a general election scheduled for Nov. 7.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks at an APEC event in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Oct. 29 last year.
“I think I would because I actually think that it is quite right to check in constitutionally and say: Is this the system, New Zealand, you still want?’” he said.Luxon also reiterated support for a referendum on extending New Zealand’s three-year fixed-term parliaments to four years.
Under MMP, constituents cast two votes: one for a local candidate and one for a party. Winning local candidates in 71 constituencies take their seats automatically, while the remaining seats are filled from party lists, allocated to match each party’s share of the nationwide vote.There are expected to be about 49 list seats in November’s election, although that number might vary due to the quirks of the system.MMP has been praised for allowing smaller parties a say in government, but criticized for its complexity and for often requiring coalition governments.It also has several unusual features, including seven seats reserved exclusively for Maori voters.New Zealand last voted to retain the system in a 2011 referendum, with 58 percent of voters in favor.
