How MMP Changed NZ Politics

New Zealand’s MMP system was meant to make politics fairer — but has it? In this episode of Context, Guyon Espiner and Corin Dann unpack the history and impact of MMP, the voting system that reshaped our politics. They trace how a slip of the tongue by Prime Minister David Lange in the 1980s set off a chain of events that led to the fall of first-past-the-post, the rise of minor parties, and a new era of coalition governments. From Winston Peters’ kingmaker moments to Christopher Luxon’s challenge managing three parties in power, MMP has changed the way New Zealand is governed — for better and for worse. Watch as we ask: Has MMP made our democracy fairer, or just more complicated?