WELLINGTON — New Zealand will hold a national election on November 7, the country’s center-right prime minister has said, kickstarting a campaign cycle that could become one of the country’s most contested in years.

Speaking to a press conference on Wednesday, Christopher Luxon said New Zealanders would have to decide "who is best placed to provide stable and strong government in a very volatile and uncertain world".

Luxon, a former airline executive and New Zealand's first elected leader since the extremely popular Jacinda Ardern, has enjoyed a swift political rise: becoming an MP in 2020, National Party leader a year later, and prime minister in 2023.

His popularity has waned during his time in power, however, as New Zealand's economy has stalled.

New Zealanders face high costs of living, housing affordability issues, and an unemployment rate of more than 5%.

The ruling conservative coalition, consisting of Luxon's National Party and the smaller minority parties New Zealand First and ACT, has led the country since 2023.

Polls suggest that it would be a tight race between a National-led coalition and a Labour-led one - and Luxon and his National Party are banking on promises of economic recovery to be voted back in power.

"We knew it would be hard to turn things around when we first came into office, but over the last two years National has been plugging away, working hard to fix the basics," Luxon said on Wednesday.

Now the country is "turning in the right direction", he said, adding that his party is "focused on building the future".

The deadline for the next general election is 19 December. — Agencies