New Zealand's general election on Saturday produced a fragmented result that left the country without a clear path to government formation. With nearly all votes counted in the preliminary tally, the National-led bloc held a narrow edge but fell short of the seats needed for a stable majority once special votes are factored in.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's National Party secured 42 electorate seats and around 29.3 percent of the party vote, positioning it as the largest single party. Its coalition partners ACT and New Zealand First added 13 and 12 seats respectively, giving the right-leaning group 67 seats in a projected 130-seat Parliament. Labour, led by Chris Hipkins, captured 35 seats with a nearly identical share of the party vote, while the Greens took 16 and Te Pati Maori five.

A new entrant, the Opportunity Party, crossed the five percent threshold to claim seven seats, further complicating coalition arithmetic. The overhang from electorate wins by National and Te Pati Maori expanded the house beyond the usual 120 seats, raising the bar for a majority to 66 or more.

Officials will not finalize the count until special votes, including those from overseas and advance voters who missed the main tally, are processed. Those results are scheduled for release on November 27. Historical patterns show specials often shift seats leftward, leaving the outcome uncertain.

Luxon addressed supporters late on election night, calling the result heartening yet too close to call. He noted a pathway to government but stressed the need to await the full count. Labour has not conceded, and analysts described the verdict as the most fractured under the mixed-member proportional system in decades.

Both major parties fell below 30 percent of the vote, a first under MMP. The right-leaning bloc's strength in electorate seats provided its current lead, but any losses in marginal districts or shifts from specials could hand the balance of power to minor parties. Negotiations are expected to intensify once the official results arrive.