New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has called a general election for September 17th as she seeks a third term for her center-left Labour Party.
Ms Clark, who has been prime minister for six years, has waited for the latest possible date to call the poll, giving her time to reverse a swing in the polls that has seen Labour lose a 10-percentage point lead since the start of the year.
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark
The election is expected to be fought mainly on local issues, such as tax cuts, a series of controversies involving some ministers, a poorly received budget in May, and a resurgence of support for the opposition centre-right National Party.
"The choice between New Zealanders this election is a stark one — it's between the Labour government with our strong record of achievement and leadership, and an inexperienced opposition making wild promises which don't add up," Ms Clark said.
Labour, which has presided over five years of strong economic growth and debt reduction, has also said the National Party would end a long standing ban on nuclear ships entering New Zealand waters, and would closely align foreign policy with the United States.
However, the National Party leader, former Reserve Bank of New Zealand governor Don Brash, has played down foreign policy issues and said today his party would focus on tax, education, and the social welfare system.