New Zealand political affairs

The politics of New Zealand function within a framework of a unitary parliamentary representative democracy. New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy in which a hereditary monarch—since 6 February 1952, Queen Elizabeth II—is the sovereign and head of state.

Executive power in New Zealand is based on the principle that "The Queen reigns, but the government rules". Although an integral part of the process of government, the Queen and her Governor-General remain politically neutral and are not involved in the everyday aspects of governing. Ministers are selected from among the democratically elected members of the New Zealand Parliament. Most ministers are members of Cabinet, which is the main decision-making body of the Government. The Prime Minister is the most senior minister, chair of the Cabinet, and thus head of government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General. The office of prime minister is, in practice, the most powerful political office in New Zealand. The Government is accountable to Parliament for its actions and policies.

The country has a multi-party system in which many of its legislative practices derive from the unwritten conventions of and precedents set by the United Kingdom's Westminster Parliament. However, New Zealand has evolved variations; minority governments are common and typically dependent on confidence and supply agreements with other parties. The two dominant political parties in New Zealand have historically been the Labour Party and the National Party (or its predecessors).

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