WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Tuesday that he had survived a vote on his leadership among his own party’s lawmakers, after recent slumps in the polls prompted speculation he might be ousted.
The vote was held behind closed doors during a routine meeting of Luxon’s center-right National Party lawmakers and was sought by the Prime Minister himself. Luxon emerged afterward to read a brief statement announcing the vote and departed without taking questions from reporters.
“The last week, there has been intense media speculation about my leadership,” Luxon said, adding that he had called for a confidence vote “to put that media speculation to rest.”
His party caucus had “answered clearly and decisively,” the Prime Minister said. “It has backed my leadership.”
He did not say that the vote had been unanimous. Nicola Willis, the party's deputy leader, said later Tuesday that vote had been a secret ballot with only scrutineers knowing the final tally, but that Luxon must have received a majority.
The confidence vote happened months ahead of New Zealand’s next national election, scheduled for Nov. 7. Recent drops in the polls for National had prompted speculation from analysts that he would face a leadership challenge.
That was seen by party lawmakers as an unwelcome distraction in an election year for National, which has governed New Zealand in a right-wing coalition government since the 2023 vote. Luxon, a former airline executive who entered Parliament in 2000, has led the party since 2021.
While two recent New Zealand prime ministers — National's John Key and Labour's Jacinda Ardern — have voluntarily quit the post, it would have been extremely unusual for lawmakers to oust a sitting prime minister.
Luxon blamed reports of unrest within his party's ranks on news outlets, but one political poll released days ago appeared to have made a discussion of leadership unavoidable. The 1News-Verian poll suggested slumping support for Luxon and for National in a hypothetical election.
The levels of support in the most recent poll implied the right-wing bloc led by his party could come in behind the left-wing bloc led by Labour if an election were held immediately, though the vote won’t occur for more than another six months.
“If the media want to keep focusing on speculation and rumor, I am not going to engage,” Luxon said Tuesday.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, right, speaks to reporters at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, after a vote among his own lawmakers about his leadership of the National Party, on Tuesday. April 21 2026. (AP Photo/Charlotte Graham-McLay)
FILE - New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks during Question Time at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, on March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Charlotte Graham-McLay, File)
FILE - New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announces a cabinet reshuffle at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, on April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Charlotte Graham-McLay, File)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Dan Vladar stopped 27 shots, rookie Porter Martone scored for the second straight game and the Philadelphia Flyers shut out Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round series.
The 19-year-old Martone became the sixth-youngest player in NHL history to score in each of his first two playoff games when he beat Stuart Skinner deep into the second period to put Philadelphia in front. Garnet Hathaway added a short-handed goal a few minutes later, and Luke Glendening chipped in an empty-netter late in the third.
Vladar made it stand up as the red-hot Flyers, who needed a scorching finishing stretch just to reach the playoffs, frustrated the suddenly offensively challenged Penguins all night.
Game 3 is Wednesday night in Philadelphia.
HURRICANES 3, SENATORS 2, 2OT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jordan Martinook beat Linus Ullmark from the slot at 13:53 of the second overtime to help Carolina beat Ottawa and take a 2-0 lead in their first-round series in the NHL playoffs.
Martinook — who was stopped on a penalty shot in the first OT — kept the winning play alive by chasing down a loose rebound toward the boards to keep the possession in the offensive zone. Moments later, Nikolaj Ehlers found Martinook between the circles to beat Ullmark, who was partially shielded by Carolina captain Jordan Staal at the top of the crease.
That set off a mob celebration by the Hurricanes around Martinook in a corner of the ice, ending a game that saw them hang on despite blowing a 2-0 lead and having an apparent winner by Mark Jankowski waved off in the first overtime due to an offside call on review.
The series moves to Canada’s capital for Game 3 on Thursday.
STARS 4, WILD 2
DALLAS (AP) — Wyatt Johnston had two unusual goals, Matt Duchene scored a tiebreaking power-play goal and had an assist, and Dallas beat Minnesota in Game 2 to even their first-round Western Conference series.
The Stars went ahead to stay with a power play winding down about four minutes into the penalty-filled second period when Duchene made a quick pass to Mikko Rantanen and then got the puck back just in front of the crease. That made it 2-1.
Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 28 shots, including a point-blank attempt by Kirill Kaprizov with 2 1/2 minutes to play when the Wild were on a power play after Dallas was penalized for too many men on the ice.
Brock Faber scored his first two career playoff goals for Minnesota, which won the opener 6-1 on Saturday but missed a chance in its 15th playoff appearance to take its first-ever 2-0 series lead.
Jason Robertson, who like Johnston scored 45 goals in the regular season, also scored for Dallas. Nils Lundkvist had two assists.
Game 3 is Wednesday night at Minnesota.
OILERS 4, DUCKS 3
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Kasperi Kapanen scored his second goal of the game with 1:54 left in the third period to give Edmonton a victory over Anaheim in the opener of their first-round playoff series.
Jason Dickinson also scored twice for the Oilers, who trailed 3-2 entering the third.
Oilers star Leon Draisaitl returned to the ice after missing the final 14 regular-season games with an injury. Draisaitl and Jake Walman each had two assists for Edmonton.
The Oilers are seeking their third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final, having lost each of the last two seasons to the Florida Panthers, who missed out on postseason play this year.
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) makes a save against Los Angeles Kings right wing Alex Laferriere (14) during the second period of Game 1 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo Jack Dempsey)
