New Zealand vote still too close to call as results trickle in

WELLINGTON: The outcome of New Zealand’s election remained too close to call as early results began to roll in on Saturday, with none of the parties expected to secure a majority after a campaign dominated by worries over rising costs of living and the economy.

Kiwis are struggling to make ends meet — the price of basic goods remains stubbornly high and unemployment at its highest in more than a decade.

The war in the Middle East and the subsequent global fuel shock have been widely blamed for the hit to New Zealand’s trade-dependent economy.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon hoped his right-wing coalition could cling to power with promises of no new taxes, after three fractious years in office, two failed bids by his own National Party to oust him…