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New Zealand Election Heads for Tight Race as Luxon and Hipkins Vie for Prime Minister
The leaders of New Zealand’s two biggest parties are both named Chris, and opinion polls show both are unpopular with voters.
- New Zealand's upcoming election guarantees the next prime minister will be a man named Chris, as the leaders of the nation's two major parties both bear the name: Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins.
- The "Battle of the Chrises" reflects the name's peak popularity in the late 1960s, when nearly 800 babies were named Christopher in 1968, though just 20 newborns received the name in 2025.
- Christopher Luxon, a former Air New Zealand executive, leads the Center-right National party and survived two confidence votes in 2026 amid polling slumps and internal leadership challenges.
- Chris Hipkins, who served as prime minister for nine months, campaigns on economic relief while maintaining an "everyman" image, despite viral scrutiny over a pandemic gaffe where he told people to "get outside and spread their legs."
- Most opinion polls suggest both leaders in the "Battle of the Chrises" are fairly unpopular with voters, as the nation weighs economic concerns and the candidates' respective political histories.
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11 Articles
11 Articles
Associated Press News+7 Reposted by 7 other sources
A man named Chris will be New Zealand's next prime minister, whichever party wins the election
New Zealand is choosing a new government in a national election that concludes Saturday. But one outcome is already known: The next prime minister will be a man named Chris.
·New York, United States
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Total News Sources11
Leaning Left6Leaning Right0Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution55% Left
Bias Distribution
- 55% of the sources lean Left
55% Left
L 55%
C 45%
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