With an election in sight, most respondents in inaugural Essential poll rate the direction of New Zealand poorly
New Zealand has a well-earned reputation for moderation in politics. For a long time the country has tended to give altogether positive assessments of leaders’ efforts to tackle social and economic problems.
When Jacinda Ardern’s government was re-elected with a historic parliamentary majority in 2020, analysis from pundits and pollsters indicated that it came on the back of about 20 years of favourable public perception of New Zealand’s moderate governments, regardless of their specific colour and flavour.
Peter Stahel is the managing director of Essential, a progressive strategic communications and research company.
