Long-serving lawmaker Judith Collins will lead New Zealand's opposition National Party into a general election against a popular government in just over two months, taking over from Todd Muller, who quit the leadership Tuesday citing health reasons.
Muller shocked lawmakers in the right-of-centre party when he issued a statement early Tuesday morning saying he was stepping down "effective immediately." The 67-year-old former business executive had led the party for only 53 days, toppling previous leader Simon Bridges in a leadership coup amid National's stagnant polling numbers.
Collins now faces the task of trying to rally National's support 67 days from Sept. 19 elections at which it will try to unseat the governing Labour Party of popular Prime Minister Jacina Ardern. Recent polls show Labour with sufficient support to form a majority government, a first since New Zealand adopted a system of proportional representation in 1996.
Collins is understood to have won a contested leadership contest, but details of the vote have not been released."It has become clear to me that I am not the best person to be leader of the Opposition and Leader of the New Zealand National Party at this critical time for New Zealand," Muller said. "It is more important than ever that the New Zealand National Party has a leader who is comfortable in the role.
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