New Zealand First, commonly abbreviated to NZ First or NZF, is a political party in New Zealand, led by and identified with veteran politician Winston Peters, who has served three times as deputy prime minister. The party has formed coalition governments with both major political parties in New Zealand: with the New Zealand National Party from 1996 to 1998 and 2023 to present, and with the New Zealand Labour Party from 2005 to 2008 and 2017 to 2020. New Zealand First currently serves in a coalition government with both National and ACT as part of the Sixth National government, having won 6.08% of the total party vote in the 2023 New Zealand general election.
Winston Peters founded the party in 1993
Winston Raymond Peters, also known mononymously as Winston, is a New Zealand politician who has been the leader of New Zealand First since it was founded in 1993. He was re-elected for a fifteenth time at the 2023 general election, having previously been a member of Parliament (MP) from 1979 to 1981, 1984 to 2008 and 2011 to 2020. Peters has served as the 13th deputy prime minister of New Zealand and 25th minister of foreign affairs since November 2023.
Peters in 2019
Peters became an outspoken critic of his party leader, Jim Bolger (pictured in 1992).
Peters on the campaign trail in Auckland, c. 1993
Peters greets US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at Auckland Airport in 2008.