PM Ignoring Reality of MMP: Minor Parties

Two of National’s current support partners say Bill English is ignoring the realities of governing under Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) by telling people not to vote for the minor parties.

On the campaign trail on Tuesday Mr English said voters should cut out the middle man and back either National or Labour.

But under MMP, neither National nor Labour has ever been able to form a government without the help of minor parties.

ACT Party leader David Seymour questioned Mr English’s logic.

“The reality is that every party vote for ACT will count and coalitions will be critical in this government. Bill English should start working with that, instead of denying it. “If he thinks he can govern alone, he’s frankly deluding himself and his supporters,” he said. Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell said he understood why National was chasing the party vote but said neither of the major parties could govern alone. “To make up the numbers - the magic number being 61 or possibly 62 depending on how the cards fall - in the end they do need the minor parties and we become a very important ingredient when it comes to making up coalitions or otherwise,” Mr Flavell said. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said Mr English was panicking at the last minute.

“Bill English is desperate, he’s been found out to have sold out the regions and the provinces, he’s been the servant of big business in downtown Queen Street, and the more farmers and provincial people know that the better, and that’s why he’s scared.” Green Party leader James Shaw said Mr English’s comments were self-serving and showed National had realised the only way it would be able to form a government was by knocking out the Greens and New Zealand First. RNZI