It was a great pleasure to attend the National Party’s 90th Annual Convention in Wellington and to exchange views with senior party representatives ahead of New Zealand’s general elections.
A key moment was Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s keynote speech, in which he focused on economic growth, responsible fiscal management and strengthening New Zealanders’ financial security.
With the election expected to be closely contested, discussions throughout the convention highlighted the importance of voter mobilisation, clear policy priorities and staying true to the party’s core values amid increasingly volatile times — an aspect emphasised by Party President Sylvia Wood.
Since 2023, New Zealand has been governed by a coalition of the National Party, ACT and New Zealand First. Current polling suggests that coalition dynamics will once again be crucial for government formation.
From a European perspective, it was particularly encouraging to hear that trade with the EU has expanded substantially — a development also highlighted by New Zealand’s Trade Minister Todd McClay.
The EU–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, in force since 2024, is already strengthening bilateral trade, while New Zealand’s association with Horizon Europe opens promising opportunities for cooperation in digitalisation, clean tech, agritech, life sciences — and space research.
A truly inspiring opportunity to engage with New Zealand’s political and economic trajectory at such an important moment for the country!
A key moment was Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s keynote speech, in which he focused on economic growth, responsible fiscal management and strengthening New Zealanders’ financial security.
With the election expected to be closely contested, discussions throughout the convention highlighted the importance of voter mobilisation, clear policy priorities and staying true to the party’s core values amid increasingly volatile times — an aspect emphasised by Party President Sylvia Wood.
Since 2023, New Zealand has been governed by a coalition of the National Party, ACT and New Zealand First. Current polling suggests that coalition dynamics will once again be crucial for government formation.
From a European perspective, it was particularly encouraging to hear that trade with the EU has expanded substantially — a development also highlighted by New Zealand’s Trade Minister Todd McClay.
The EU–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, in force since 2024, is already strengthening bilateral trade, while New Zealand’s association with Horizon Europe opens promising opportunities for cooperation in digitalisation, clean tech, agritech, life sciences — and space research.
A truly inspiring opportunity to engage with New Zealand’s political and economic trajectory at such an important moment for the country!
About this series
The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, its educational institutions, centres and foreign offices, offer several thousand events on various subjects each year. We provide up to date and exclusive reports on selected conferences, events and symposia at www.kas.de. In addition to a summary of the contents, you can also find additional material such as pictures, speeches, videos or audio clips.