Luxon Calls Emergency Meeting Amid Leadership Speculation
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has called an urgent meeting of National Party lawmakers to address growing speculation about his leadership, less than three months before the country's general election. The meeting will take place in Wellington on Wednesday at 9:30am.
Luxon's leadership has been under scrutiny following a series of public missteps, including a comment that he was open to a referendum on the country's electoral system without discussing it with party colleagues first. He also had to apologize for telling a business audience to 'be adult' rather than look to the government for help.
The National Party has been struggling to gain momentum in the economic recovery, with unemployment rising to 5.6% in the June quarter and annual inflation at 4.1%, above the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's target range.