Christopher Luxon Condemns Right-Wing Vote-Splitting Strategy

National Party leader Christopher Luxon has condemned a vote-splitting strategy promoted by coalition partners ACT and New Zealand First, as well as former leader Don Brash, during the final week of the 2026 election campaign. The strategy encourages right-leaning voters to give their electorate vote to National but their party vote to ACT or New Zealand First to create a parliamentary overhang, which Brash argues would help the center-right form a majority.

Luxon described the messaging as confusing and disappointing, warning that it risks allowing the Labour Party to become the largest party and form a government on November 7. While ACT leader David Seymour defended the right to campaign for party votes, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters claimed a party vote for National would be a wasted vote. Don Brash admitted some of his advertisements were inconsistent after he also urged support for ACT candidates in Epsom and Tāmaki.

Internal friction has extended to the Epsom electorate, where former National leader Sir John Key urged voters to back Paul Goldsmith over David Seymour. ACT candidate Paul Henry called this shift arrogant and two-faced. In response to the turmoil, Labour leader Chris Hipkins characterized the situation as total dysfunction and disarray on the right and expressed openness to constitutional reforms to prevent future overhangs.