New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met with Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong on Monday after election results showed his coalition might lose its majority. Luxon said, "It was a great opportunity to get to know her and start to build a relationship together." Final votes are expected on November 27.

WELLINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Tuesday he had met with the leader of the Opportunity Party, after initial results in a general election showed he may be reliant on the centrist party to govern.

Preliminary data from the New Zealand Electoral Commission showed Luxon's incumbent three-party coalition could govern with a majority of ⁠just two seats.

But that margin may disappear once overseas and other special votes -- which make up a seventh of the total and typically skew left -- are included during the final count on November 27.

That would mean Luxon would need the support of Opportunity, which looks set to enter parliament for the first time, to pass legislation.

Luxon ⁠and Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong met on Monday evening, the prime minister said.

"(It was) a great opportunity to get to know her and start to build a relationship together," Luxon told ⁠reporters on Tuesday.

Luxon previously ruled out entering a coalition with Opportunity but has softened his stance after the initial election count.

Wong ⁠has previously said she would look to negotiate with whichever party secures the largest number of seats ⁠in parliament, and that a number of arrangements, including a formal coalition or more informal support, were options.

Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Wellington; Editing by Matthew Lewis

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Alasdair Pal

Thomson Reuters

Alasdair leads the team covering breaking news in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Before moving to Sydney, he covered general news in New Delhi, where he reported from the front-line of the coronavirus pandemic in India and the insurgency in Kashmir, as well as extended periods in Pakistan and, most recently, in Sri Lanka covering its ongoing economic crisis. His reporting on Islamic State suicide bombings in Sri Lanka in 2019 was highly commended as the Society of Publishers in Asia awards. He previously worked as a financial reporter in London, with a particular interest in hedge funds and accounting frauds.