Luxon survives second caucus confidence vote in four months
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has survived a second leadership challenge from his National Party caucus, with MPs voting to keep him in his role.
National Party MPs convened for an urgent in-person caucus meeting on Wednesday following days of speculation about Christopher Luxon's leadership. After a three-and-a-half-hour meeting, Luxon emerged to confirm he had received the full support of his caucus in a confidence vote. Defence Minister Chris Penk, identified as the driving force behind the challenge, was subsequently stripped of his ministerial roles and announced he would not seek re-election. The vote marks the second leadership test for Luxon in four months, following an earlier confidence vote in April.
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Coverage across the news outlets we track, as at publication.
What outlets are saying
NZ Herald
Luxon leadership: National MPs hit phones on possible change after MMP call
The National Party has been gripped by another round of discontent and speculation.
Newstalk ZB
Luxon leadership: National MPs hit phones on possible change after MMP captainâs call
Discontented National Party MPs hit the phones on Monday, with one MP confirming to the Herald that they had fielded âseveralâ phone calls about a potential leadership change.
1News
Christopher Luxon's grip on leadership questioned again
National MPs reportedly spent the day on the phones, with one confirming they had fielded "several" phone calls about a potential leadership change.
Stuff
Speculation over Luxonâs leadership returns
Christopher Luxonâs role as leader of the National Party is again being questioned, following a week in which he apologised for offending small business owners and caught his MPs off-guard with a policy commitment announced on talkback radio.
Otago Daily Times
Christopher Luxon's grip on leadership questioned again
NZ Herald
Christopher Luxon leadership: Nationalâs Chris Bishop speaks to media as speculation runs hot over potential change
The Herald revealed Luxon faced another round of leadership chatter on Monday.
Newstalk ZB
Christopher Luxon leadership: Nationalâs Chris Bishop speaks to media as speculation runs hot over potential change
National MP Chris Bishop is preparing to speak as sources tell the Herald conversations are occurring about a change in party leadership.
Stuff
Have your say: If Luxon was to go, who would you vote for?
Speculation is again swirling over the leadership of National by Christopher Luxon.
1News
Bishop backs Luxon but urges MPs to stop leaking about PM
It follows a bruising fortnight for the Prime Minister, who has thus far weathered multiple, somewhat self-inflicted political controversies.
Newsroom
Luxonâs hard-luck story not really that hard
Analysis: The Prime Minister is trying to build a brand around having overcome adversity â but his backstory suggests otherwise The post Luxonâs hard-luck story not really that hard appeared first on Newsroom .
Newsroom
National caucus to meet as MPs whisper of move against Luxon
National MPs are set to hold a virtual caucus meeting where concerns about the Prime Ministerâs performance will loom large The post National caucus to meet as MPs whisper of move against Luxon appeared first on Newsroom .
1News
PM Luxon calls 'urgent' caucus meeting on his leadership
It follows a bruising fortnight for the Prime Minister, who has thus far weathered multiple, somewhat self-inflicted political controversies.
1News
Live updates: Sir John Key making calls on Luxon's leadership – report
Amid a fresh bout of speculation about his leadership, the Prime Minister has called his National Party colleagues to an "urgent" meeting tomorrow.
NZ Herald
National leadership rumours: Is Luxon really under threat? â The Front Page
NZ Herald's Katie Bradford says if Luxon is getting rolled, 'it needs to be this week'.
interest.co.nz
PM Christopher Luxon calls urgent meeting following leadership speculation
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon calls âurgent in-person Caucus meetingâ following leadership speculation, says âdivision and disunity are a major distraction only 90 days out from the electionâ
NZ Herald
Election 2026: Act leader David Seymour condemns âdistractionsâ as National MPs set to decide Christopher Luxonâs leadership
The Herald revealed on Monday that Luxon is facing another round of leadership chatter.
Newstalk ZB
Election 2026: Act leader David Seymour condemns âdistractionsâ as National MPs set to decide Christopher Luxonâs leadership
National leader Christopher Luxon has called an urgent in-person caucus meeting for tomorrow morning.
1News
Luxonâs leadership on the line again â neither Nats nor Labour stand to benefit
Having already put his own leadership to a caucus vote in April, the problem â then and now â is that the party has no stellar alternative.
NZ Herald
Election 2026: Labour leader Chris Hipkins in Rotorua on Prime Minister Christopher Luxonâs leadership speculation, business comments
He referenced the Prime Minister's controversial recent comments to Rotorua businesses.
BusinessDesk
Luxon breaks the emergency glass again, calls urgent caucus meeting on leadership
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has arrived in Wellington to settle speculation about his leadership, although no apparent contender to oust him has publicly declared. After another rash of reports about leadership talk within the National Party emerged on Tuesday, LuxonâŠ
1News
Senior National MPs consider telling Luxon it is time to go
The frustration comes over what MPs believe is a set of recent "own goals".
NZ Herald
Christopher Luxonâs power ebbing away â who will replace him?
OPINION: The PM has called a caucus meeting to discuss his leadership on Wednesday.
The Spinoff
The last time a New Zealand prime minister was booted by their own party
Weâre going to need to travel back nearly three decades. They love a spill in Australia. Four prime ministers have been rolled by their own MPs since 2010. The UK is even hungrier for its own, with four PMs victimâŠ
Otago Daily Times
Speculation swirls with Luxonâs leadership on the line
Stuff
What PM Luxon said in 75-seconds speech after caucus leadership confidence vote
In a 75-seconds press conference the PM said he had âthe full support of our caucusâ.
Newsroom
Luxon clings on as PM after surviving second confidence vote
PM claims 'full support' of his caucus, but does not take questions from media after surviving second vote The post Luxon clings on as PM after surviving second confidence vote appeared first on Newsroom .
Stuff
Have your say on the Luxon-o-meter, as he fights on as PM
Caucus voted for Luxon, but will he have yours? Vote in the Luxon-o-meter above.
The Spinoff
All the times Christopher Luxon said âfix the basics and build the futureâ in one 76-second press conference, ranked
The one phrase that made up nearly 10% of all the words spoken by the PM following a confidence vote in his leadership this morning. Christopher Luxon didnât talk to the media for long following a three-and-a-half-hour meeting on hisâŠ
Otago Daily Times
Opinion: Send in the clowns as ringmaster Luxon wins again
The Spinoff
The highs and many lows of Christopher Luxonâs leadership
With a recent run of gaffes, difficulties managing his coalition partners, and two almost-coups, itâs easy to forget that Luxon has also had some significant wins in his time in politics. After facing the second confidence vote in his leadershipâŠ
Otago Daily Times
Opinion: Send in the clowns as ringmaster Luxon wins again
Stuff
Gone in 76 seconds: A frame-by-frame analysis of Luxonâs rapid press conference
In a blink-and-you-miss-it press conference at Parliament today, Luxon said he had the âfull supportâ of his caucus.
The Spinoff
What will voters take away from Luxonâs chaotic two-day caucus crisis?
The prime minister leaves an urgent caucus meeting with his leadership intact, and his political mojo torn. In 76 seconds, Christopher Luxon drew a two-day political meltdown to a close. The outcome of the National Partyâs urgent caucus vote onâŠ
NZ Herald
Luxon leadership challenge: In the end, they didnât have the numbers
In the end, Chris Bishop and Erica Stanford didn't even survive to a final vote.
Newstalk ZB
The Huddle: Is the National Party really united?
Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day, and more!
The Spinoff
Yesterday Luxon won, again. Who lost?
Call it a cluster, call it a shitshow: the result is a pair of grim sequels. G ive Christopher Luxon this at least: he just keeps winning. In April he faced the threat of a caucus revolt, brought the insubordinatesâŠ
Newsroom
Labourâs dream and Nationalâs nightmare: Luxon down but not out
Comment: Wednesday's drama has failed to change any of the underlying reasons driving National Party MPs to agitate for overthrowing Luxon The post Labourâs dream and Nationalâs nightmare: Luxon down but not out appeared first on Newsroom .
1News
What next for the National Party?
Former defence minister Wayne Mapp believed Penk had been made a sacrificial lamb.
1News
Watch: Chris Bishop grilled on National's leadership drama
National minister Chris Bishop said he backed Luxon, and emphasised that the meeting was called due to the leadership threat from Penk.
Stuff
Luxon survives, Penk exits, and the memes write themselves
Christopher Luxon survived another leadership challenge, but his 76-second victory lap gave meme-makers considerably more material than it gave reporters.
1News
Watch live: Luxon speaks to media day after leadership vote
The Prime Minister has met the Vietnamese president, the day after an urgent caucus meeting on his leadership.
1News
Analysis: Luxon survives, but how long for?
1News Politics Producer Tom Day reflects on where an extraordinary day in Wellington leaves the National Party.
Otago Daily Times
Stanford gives full backing to Luxon after failed leadership challenge
NZ Herald
Party leaders met NZâs most influential iwi figures: Te PÄti MÄori tanked and Luxon didnât show â Kiri Allan
OPINION: Iwi leaders called this the worst Govt in living memory at a Queenstown meeting.
interest.co.nz
NZD steps down a bit
US CPI figures for July bang in line with consensus, no smoking gun for Fed September rate hike. Currencies well contained, although some NZD underperformance evident following failed leadership coup
Stuff
Whatâs your secret talent or party trick?
Everyone has that one strangely impressive thing they can do.
Otago Daily Times
âI didn't challenge for the leadershipâ: Stanford
interest.co.nz
The ingredients for election 2026: The cost of living, a message of hope and what National needs to do
As PM Christopher Luxon survives another confidence vote from his National Party colleagues, how are things shaping up as the election inches closer?
Stuff
Chris Bishop was Nationalâs last hope for November
I went to bed last Tuesday night convinced Iâd wake up to Chris Bishop as PM.
The Spinoff
âIâm grossly imperfectâ: Luxon in confessional mode for Monday morning media round
In his first check-in with Hosking and Campbell since the challenge to his leadership, prime minister Christopher Luxon admitted heâd made some errors. âI had a lot on in the week,â Christopher Luxon told Newstalk ZBâs Mike Hosking at 7.40amâŠ
Newsroom
Inside Luxonâs Monday morning therapy session
MediaRoom: The National leader has no greater believer than Newstalk ZBâs Mike Hosking, who puts even Luxonâs most â110%â caucus supporters in the shade The post Inside Luxonâs Monday morning therapy session appeared first on Newsroom .
Stuff
Stuffâs Pulse of the Nation: 30% less likely to vote National post-coup attempt
Snap polling conducted by Stuff shows nearly a third of voters less likely to vote National following last weekâs attempted coup
1News
Luxon, Bishop press fondness for Hutt Valley in show of party unity
Bishop praised his party leader, calling Luxon the man in charge of National's plan who was doing "an outstanding job".
Stuff
Stuffâs Pulse of the Nation: Luxon best National MP to be PM
Christopher Luxon has won another vote of confidence against his would-be successors and agitators – this time with the public.
Otago Daily Times
Election 2026 interview: Labour leader Chris Hipkins
Stuff
New poll shows Opportunity in kingmaker position, Luxon and Hipkins approval slumps
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has recorded his lowest approval rating to date as well, with Chris Hipkins recording a negative approval rating too.
NZ Herald
RNZ-Reid Research poll: Opportunity in kingmaker position, Luxon and Hipkins approval slumps
Neither the coalition nor the opposition would have the numbers to form a government.
Otago Daily Times
Opportunity in position to play kingmaker in latest poll
Stuff
Luxon has no regrets ruling out âparty of more taxâ who could be kingmakers
National leader Christopher Luxon says he has no second thoughts about ruling out working with Opportunity, after a third poll placed the nascent party in kingmaker position to decide the next government.
Stuff
Poll: Did National make the wrong call keeping Luxon?
More voters are saying the caucus got it wrong than right over Christopher Luxon, according to RNZ's new poll.
Otago Daily Times
Political poll shows who thought Luxon should leave as National leader
1News
Poll: Did National make the wrong call keeping Luxon?
National's decision to stick with Christopher Luxon appears at odds with the wider public.
Newsroom
âLike winning Olympic gold againâ: The long, painful comeback of Alicia Hoskin
Six months after invasive surgery to remove a rib, Olympic gold medallist Alicia Hoskin is back paddling, but facing a long road to LA 2028 The post âLike winning Olympic gold againâ: The long, painful comeback of Alicia Hoskin appearedâŠ