Voters wait to collect their ballot papers at a polling centre in Auckland. (AFP pic)WELLINGTON: New Zealand began counting the votes Saturday in one of the closest elections in its history, with none of the parties expected to secure a majority of seats after a campaign dominated by worries over rising costs of living and the economy.
Kiwis are struggling to make ends meet – the price of basic goods remains stubbornly high, and unemployment is at its highest in more than a decade.
The war in the Middle East and the subsequent global fuel shock have been widely blamed for the hit to New Zealand's trade-dependent economy.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is hoping his right-wing coalition can cling to power with promises of no new taxes after three fractious years in office, two failed bids by his own National Party to oust him as leader and an economy in the doldrums.
