New Zealand has held ten general elections under MMP. Each produced a Parliament of 120 seats or more, and all but one needed parties to work together to govern. Here's every result at a glance, with the seats each party won and the government that followed.
Quick answer
- 10 MMP elections, from 1996 to 2023. 2026 is the 11th.
- One single-party majority: Labour in 2020, with 65 of 120 seats.
- Largest party vote: Labour's 50.0% in 2020.
- Biggest Parliament: 122 seats in 2008 and 2023, reaching 123 after the 2023 Port Waikato by-election.
- Longest wait for a government: 65 days in 1996.
Seats won at every MMP election, 1996 to 2023
- National
- Labour
- Green
- ACT
- NZ First
- Te Pāti Māori / Māori Party
- Other parties
Results at a glance
| Year | Date | Largest party (party vote) | Seats | Government formed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 12 Oct | National (33.9%) | 120 | National–NZ First coalition |
| 1999 | 27 Nov | Labour (38.7%) | 120 | Labour–Alliance coalition, Green support |
| 2002 | 27 Jul | Labour (41.3%) | 120 | Labour–Progressive, United Future support |
| 2005 | 17 Sep | Labour (41.1%) | 121 | Labour–Progressive, NZ First and United Future support |
| 2008 | 8 Nov | National (44.9%) | 122 | National, with ACT, United Future and Māori Party support |
| 2011 | 26 Nov | National (47.3%) | 121 | National, with ACT, United Future and Māori Party support |
| 2014 | 20 Sep | National (47.0%) | 121 | National, with ACT, United Future and Māori Party support |
| 2017 | 23 Sep | National (44.4%) | 120 | Labour–NZ First coalition, Green support |
| 2020 | 17 Oct | Labour (50.0%) | 120 | Labour majority, with a Green cooperation agreement |
| 2023 | 14 Oct | National (38.1%) | 122 | National–ACT–NZ First coalition |
Seats won by party
| Year | NAT | LAB | GRN | ACT | NZF | Māori Party / TPM | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 44 | 37 | – | 8 | 17 | – | 14 |
| 1999 | 39 | 49 | 7 | 9 | 5 | – | 11 |
| 2002 | 27 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 13 | – | 10 |
| 2005 | 48 | 50 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
| 2008 | 58 | 43 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| 2011 | 59 | 34 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 2 |
| 2014 | 60 | 32 | 14 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 1 |
| 2017 | 56 | 46 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 33 | 65 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 48 | 34 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 0 |
"Others" are the Alliance (13 seats in 1996, 10 in 1999), United and United Future, the Progressives and Mana. In 1996 the Greens were part of the Alliance. Source: Te Ara and the Electoral Commission.
Election by election
1996: the first MMP election
National won the most seats, but NZ First held the balance of power with 17. After 65 days of talks with both main parties, NZ First chose a coalition with National.
1999 to 2005: three Labour-led governments
Labour led governments after three elections in a row, first with the Alliance, then with the Progressives and support from other parties. 2005 was close: Labour 50 seats, National 48.
2008 to 2014: three National-led governments
National won three elections and governed with support agreements with ACT, United Future and the Māori Party. In 2011 and 2014 National's party vote was above 47%, close to a majority on its own.
2017: the kingmaker election
National won the most seats, but NZ First chose to form a government with Labour, with the Greens' support. Read memorable election nights.
2020: a single-party majority
Labour won 50.0% of the party vote and 65 seats, the first single-party majority under MMP.
2023: a three-party coalition
National won 48 seats and needed both ACT and NZ First to govern. Te Pāti Māori's six electorate wins created two overhang seats.
The 2023 Parliament: 122 seats
- National
- Labour
- Green
- ACT
- NZ First
- Te Pāti Māori / Māori Party
Questions and answers
What were the results of the 2023 NZ election?
National 48 seats, Labour 34, Green 15, ACT 11, NZ First 8 and Te Pāti Māori 6, in a 122-seat Parliament. National formed a coalition with ACT and NZ First.
What were the results of the 2020 NZ election?
Labour 65 seats, National 33, Green 10, ACT 10 and the Māori Party 2. Labour governed alone with a majority.
Has any party won a majority under MMP?
Once. Labour won 65 of 120 seats in 2020.
Which party has won the most MMP elections?
National has won the most seats at six of the ten MMP elections, and Labour at four. National-led governments formed after five and Labour-led governments after five.
How many seats has Parliament had under MMP?
120 normally. Overhang seats made it 121 in 2005, 2011 and 2014, and 122 in 2008 and 2023.
Sources
- Te Ara: parties in Parliament 1999–2023.
- Electoral Commission: official results for each election.
- 2023 New Zealand general election.
This guide is general information about New Zealand elections, checked against the sources linked above on 3 November 2026. For anything about your own enrolment or vote, check vote.nz or call the Electoral Commission on 0800 36 76 56.
Keep reading
How MMP works in New Zealand: party vote, electorate vote and 120 seats
A clear explanation of New Zealand's MMP voting system: your two votes, how seats are shared out, list MPs, the 5% threshold, overhang and why coalitions are normal.
From FPP to MMP: the referendums of 1992, 1993 and 2011
Why New Zealand ditched first past the post: the "wrong winner" elections, the Royal Commission, the 1992 and 1993 referendums, and the 2011 vote to keep MMP.
Memorable NZ election nights: upsets, cliffhangers and late calls
The snap election of 1984, the hung Parliament scare of 1993, the kingmaker years of 1996 and 2017, the 2020 landslide and the 2023 specials. The election nights that made history.