New Zealand's next parliament is set to be the most inclusive ever, with several people of color, members from the rainbow communities and a high number of women.

Labor Party leader Jacinda Ardern (front), the incumbent prime minister, addresses a press conference in Auckland, New Zealand, on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

The ruling Labour Party was handed a resounding mandate in the election over the weekend, as voters rewarded Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her decisive response to COVID-19.

Although Ardern has the numbers to govern alone, she is in talks with former ally the Green Party to build a wider consensus.

Labour won 64 of the 120 parliamentary seats, and more than half of those are female candidates. It also has 16 indigenous Maori MPs, the first leader of African origin, Ibrahim Omar, and Vanushi Walters of Sri Lankan origin.

"This is the most diverse parliament we have ever had in terms of gender, and minority ethnic and indigenous representation," said Professor Paul Spoonley from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Massey University.

It is also expected to be the most rainbow representative parliament system in the world, with about 10 percent of the members in the 120-seat house being openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. This includes prominent leaders like Finance Minister Grant Robertson, who is openly gay. The Greens surprisingly won as many as 10 seats in parliament.


Newspaper headline: NZ’s next parliament most diverse