National unveils 2026 party list amid falling support
Last Updated on August 9, 2026
National unveiled its party list for the 2026 election on Saturday, as NZ Herald reports the party’s support has fallen since the previous election in 2023.
Party leader Christopher Luxon announced the list alongside deputy leader Nicola Willis and party president Sylvia Wood at the Rydges Hotel at Wellington Airport. According to the Herald, Luxon said MPs and candidates were told of their list rankings immediately before the announcement was made public, explaining “then we come straight to you [the media] because we don’t want any leaks, or you know, conjecture.”
The Herald notes this is a sensitive moment for parties, as falling support can make electorate MPs anxious about their seats and list MPs uncertain about their rankings, occasionally prompting public frustration. The Herald recalls that in 2023, National MP Michael Woodhouse withdrew from the list when it was unveiled, saying the party had placed him so low it was clear he would not become a minister. As of the Herald’s report, there had been no such reaction to National’s 2026 list.
Where MPs Landed on the List
Chris Bishop, described by the Herald as a senior MP rumoured to have been behind previous destabilisation of Luxon’s leadership (which he has denied), retained his third spot despite some speculation he could be demoted. The Herald reports the top eight names on the list are unchanged from National’s current rankings, with Gerry Brownlee, the sitting Speaker, placed at No 9. Nancy Lu, a list-only candidate the Herald describes as a loyal party figure well regarded by senior MPs, was ranked at 16.
New Names and Diversity Questions
The Herald reports that further down the list, in the mid-20s, are candidates not currently in Parliament, including businessman Dale Stephens, entrepreneur Mahesh Muralidhar, former Federated Farmers president Katie Milne, and family law barrister Angee Nicholas, who the Herald notes came close to entering Parliament in 2023. Luxon promoted these names as part of what he described as a strong balance between new voices and those with proven experience.
The Herald also reports that National had to defend the list’s gender and ethnicity make-up, with seven of the top 25 places going to women and no Māori or Pasifika candidates in the top 10. Luxon and Willis, according to the Herald, pointed to names further down the rankings when discussing diversity within the party.
Photo: “Rainy day in Auckland city street with Empress Tree” by Tatters ✾, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse.
