New Zealand Government and MMP Electoral System

A vocabulary flashcard deck covering the key institutions, voting mechanisms, political parties, leaders, and branches of government in New Zealand.

Representative democracy

A system of government where people vote for an MP to make decisions on their behalf.

Constitutional monarchy

A form of government where the head of state is King Charles III.

MMP (Mixed-Member Proportional)

The voting system used in New Zealand, where eligible citizens over the age of $18$ receive two votes to decide roughly how many seats each party gets in Parliament.

Party vote

A vote where you choose the political party you want to have the most seats in Parliament.

Electorate vote

A vote to elect the specific person you want to represent your local area in Parliament.

General election

A nationwide vote held every $3$ years in New Zealand to elect members of Parliament.

Parliamentary majority

Holding at least $61$ seats out of the usual $120$ seats in Parliament, which is required for a party or group of parties to form an official government.

Coalition

An agreement where two or more parties work together to form a government, such as the one formed by National, ACT, and NZ First after the 2023 election.

Christopher Luxon

The leader of the National party.

Chris Hopkins

The leader of the Labour party.

David Seymour

The leader of the ACT party.

The Green Party

A major political party co-led by Chloe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson.

Tepati Modi

A political party co-led by Ravi YTT and Debbie Ngarewa Parker.

Winston Peters

The leader of the NZ First party.

Parliamentary threshold

The requirement that a party must win at least $5\%$ of the party vote or at least $1$ electorate seat to qualify for seats in Parliament.

7 multi-electors

Dedicated seats in New Zealand that provide minorities with dedicated representation in Parliament.

Executive

The branch of government comprising the Prime Minister and Cabinet, responsible for making important decisions and running the country.

Legislature

The branch of government consisting of Parliament, which debates, creates, and changes laws.

Speaker of the House

The official who controls debates in Parliament and ensures that Parliament follows its rules.

Judiciary

The branch of government including judges and courts, responsible for interpreting laws and ensuring justice is carried out fairly.