Ahead of New Zealand’s election, no politician has capitalised so much on opposition to vaccine mandates and antipathy to the political establishment as the veteran lawmaker and self-professed populist Winston Peters.
His minor New Zealand First party’s expected surge in support on Saturday – perhaps allowing it to hold the balance of power – would supply a voice in parliament to those most discontented with New Zealand’s leaders, and herald a higher profile for so-called culture war topics that Peters has ardently embraced.
