The leader of the National Party is the most-senior elected politician within the New Zealand National Party. Under the constitution of the party, they are required to be a member of the House of Representatives.
The National Party has found itself either in government (alone or with the support of other parties) or in opposition to Labour-led governments. Consequently, the leader of the National Party usually assumes the role of either the prime minister or leader of the Opposition.
The current leader of the National Party since 30 November 2021 is Christopher Luxon.
Selection Following a general election, or when a vacancy arises, the Parliamentary Section of the National Party (also called the Caucus) elects a leader of the Parliamentary Section (that is, the parliamentary leader). After receiving approval by the Board of Directors (the governing body of the party), the leader of the Parliamentary Section becomes the leader of the party.
Role The leader organises the business of the party in Parliament and represents the party to the general public. Within the party organisation, they must ensure political consensus; the constitution of the National Party states that the leader has "the right to attend any Party meeting or committee meeting and shall be an ex officio member of the Board".
The leader becomes the National Party's candidate for prime minister in the run-up to an election, and they invariably take office as prime minister when the National Party forms a government. In 1949, party leader Sidney Holland became the first prime minister from the National Party.
List of leaders Of the fifteen people to officially hold the leadership, nine have served as prime minister.
Key:
PM: Prime Minister LO: Leader of the Opposition
No.LeaderPortraitElectorateTerm startTerm endTime in officePositionPrime Minister1Adam Hamilton(1880–1952)Wallace2 November 193626 November 1940LO 1936–1940SavageFraser2Sidney Holland(1893–1961)Fendalton26 November 194020 September 1957 LO 1940–1949 PM 1949–1957 himself3Keith Holyoake(1904–1983)Pahiatua20 September 19577 February 1972 PM 1957 himself LO 1957–1960Nash PM 1960–1972 himself4Jack Marshall(1912–1988)Karori7 February 19724 July 1974 PM 1972 himself LO 1972–1974Kirk5Robert Muldoon(1921–1992)Tamaki4 July 197429 November 1984LO 1974–1975Rowling PM 1975–1984 himself LO 1984Lange 6 Jim McLay(born 1945) Birkenhead 29 November 1984 26 March 1986 LO 1984–19867Jim Bolger(1935–2025)King Country(1972–96)Taranaki-King Country(1996–98)26 March 19868 December 1997LO 1986–1990PalmerMoore PM 1990–1997 himself8Jenny Shipley(born 1952)Rakaia8 December 19978 October 2001 PM 1997–1999 herself LO 1999–2001Clark 9 Bill English(born 1961) Clutha-Southland 8 October 2001 28 October 2003 LO 2001–2003 10 Don Brash(born 1940) List MP 28 October 2003 27 November 2006 LO 2003–200611John Key(born 1961)Helensville27 November 200612 December 2016 LO 2006–2008 PM 2008–2016 himself(9)Bill English(born 1961)List MP12 December 201627 February 2018 PM 2016–2017 himself LO 2017–2018Ardern 12 Simon Bridges(born 1976) Tauranga 27 February 2018 22 May 2020 LO 2018–2020 13 Todd Muller(born 1968) Bay of Plenty 22 May 2020 14 July 2020 LO 2020 — Nikki KayeDeputy leader who assumed the role of party leader temporarily because of the resignation or removal of the incumbent leader, serving until a following leadership election.(1980–2024) Auckland Central 14 July 2020 <1 day Acting LO 2020 14 Judith Collins(born 1959) Papakura 14 July 2020 25 November 2021 LO 2020–2021 — Shane Reti(born 1963) List MP 25 November 2021 30 November 2021 Acting LO 202115Christopher Luxon(born 1970)Botany30 November 2021IncumbentLO 2021–2023Hipkins PM 2023–present himself
See also Deputy leader of the New Zealand National Party Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party List of political parties in New Zealand
Footnotes
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