Electoral maths: A game of kingmakers, overhangs and fractions

Electoral maths: A game of kingmakers, overhangs and fractions
The battle over the Beehive could take weeks. (Image: Depositphotos)
Dileepa Fonseka
Plenty of people can’t wait for the election to be over, but when results from the election start trickling in tomorrow evening, it may well just be the start of a different saga.Systems of proportional representation can throw up odd combinations of parties, making it difficult for anybody to stitch together a coalition.We probably won’t get a 16-month deadlock like the Belgian government had in 2019 and 2020, but the problem you always have with multi-party governing arrangements is any deal you try to stitch up has the potential...

More Politics

Workplace safety: Compliance equals protection
Policy

Workplace safety: Compliance equals protection

The Govt says health and safety obligations will be clearer within a new system of rules.

What Willis was told ahead of Orr’s shock resignation
Economy

What Willis was told ahead of Orr’s shock resignation

Documents released under the OIA shed some light on what happened.

Staff reporters 02 Apr 2025
KiwiRail reveals $8m cost of McKinsey contract
Infrastructure

KiwiRail reveals $8m cost of McKinsey contract

Rail Minister Winston Peters calls it an unacceptable payment. 

Oliver Lewis 02 Apr 2025
Trump-era FX 'compounding' margin losses, analysts say
Retail

Trump-era FX 'compounding' margin losses, analysts say

"Liberation day" could make matters worse, says Kiwibank’s Kerr.

Gregor Thompson 02 Apr 2025