Ms Arden’s party has been taken over by the right-wing party for the first time. A new TVNZ/Kantar Public poll found the centre-right National party had surged by seven points to 39 percent, compared with Labour’s 37 percent – making it Labour’s lowest result in the poll since it was elected in 2017.
The New Zealand prime minister won international praise and widespread domestic support after being elected in 2017 but is now struggling to maintain her government’s popularity.
The results are a direct result of the turbulent month in New Zealand, with Covid-19 cases spiking, violent protests outside parliament and steeply rising living costs.
The country has been dealing with widespread Covid-19 for the first time in the pandemic, recording more than 20,000 cases a day and 773 people in hospital.
Polling was conducted in the days when police broke up a weeks-long anti-vaccine mandate occupation of parliament grounds.
During the protest, large fires were lit around parliament and protesters allegedly attempted to burn down the local law school.
Others hurled chairs, bricks, tables and bottles at police with as many as forty officers injured in the incident.
The cost of living in New Zealand has also increased followed by the rise in annual inflation.
Friday’s poll revealed that 53 percent of those surveyed were pessimistic about the economy and only 28 percent optimistic.
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He said: “It certainly doesn’t have any solutions.
“We are strong economic managers and we do have ideas on how to take them forward.”