Landmark victory for Jacinda Ardern in New Zealand elections

Christchurch, Oct 17: Jacinda Ardern has swept to an emphatic victory in New Zealand's general election. She said that she would use her mandate to rebuild an economy that was battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Over the next three years there is much work to do. We will build back better from the Covid crisis. We have the mandate to accelerate our response and our recovery, " she told reporters at Auckland.

With 87 per cent of the vote counted, Ardern's Labour Party had 49 per cent support. The opposition National Party slipped to 27 per cent, its worst showing since 2002. Ardern said that she would government for all New Zealanders, but declined to comment whether she would invite the Green Party into her government until the final results were in. The Greens had 7.6 per cent of the vote.