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New Zealand's PM bows to growing pressure and postpones election

Parties had complained the coronavirus restrictions were making it difficult to travel the country and campaign effectively.

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 17: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to media during a press conference at Parliament on August 17, 2020 in Wellington, New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that New Zealand's General Election will be delayed until 17 October due to disruptions caused by COVID-19 restrictions. Restrictions are in place across the country following the discovery of a coronavirus cluster in Auckland. Auckland is at Level 3 lockdown restrictions, while the rest of New Zealand is operating under Level 2. The restrictions will be in place until 11:59pm Wednesday 26 August, with Cabinet to review those settings on 21 August. COVID-19 restrictions were reintroduced across New Zealand on Wednesday 12 August in response to the discovery of a COVID-19 cluster in Auckland. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
Image: Jacinda Ardern has delayed the country's election
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New Zealand's general election has been delayed by four weeks, the country's prime minister has announced.

Jacinda Ardern said that the coronavirus pandemic makes it more difficult for parties to campaign.

The country's election was originally due to be held on 19 September.

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Jacinda Ardern puts Auckland back into lockdown

"Having weighed up all these factors and taken wide soundings, I have decided on balance to move the election by four weeks to 17 October," she told a news conference on Monday morning.

"Ultimately, 17 October... provides sufficient time for parties to plan around the range of circumstances we will be campaigning under."

She had been under pressure to postpone the vote, after a small resurgence of coronavirus in Auckland. As of Sunday, there were 69 active cases in the country.

New Zealand had previously been coronavirus-free for 102 days.

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Auckland, the country's biggest city, was plunged back into lockdown after the cluster of cases had been discovered, with people being urged to stay at home.

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The country's Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters had called for a delay, as had the main opposition - the National Party.

The National Party had delayed events in the run up to the election due to changes in crowd number restrictions, and has accused Ms Ardern of using the COVID-19 outbreak to bolster her support.