New Zealand's Luxon calls meeting woth National Party

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Tuesday he had called an urgent in-person meeting of National Party lawmakers for Wednesday, amid calls from some quarters for a leadership change less than three months before an election.



"It is clear from various media reports and conversations there is increased speculation about my leadership," Luxon said in a post on X.



National Party lawmakers will meet in Wellington at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday local time to discuss the issue.



The New Zealand Herald reported late on Monday that National lawmakers had been making calls to discuss a possible leadership change.



Luxon's leadership has returned to the spotlight following a series of public missteps.



Last week, he said in a live radio interview that he was open to a referendum on the country's electoral system without first discussing the idea with party colleagues.



Luxon has been prime minister since late 2023, when his National Party formed a coalition government with New Zealand First and ACT after the election that year.