(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - National party leader John Key is the preferred choice for the top political job in New Zealand, according to a poll by AC Nielsen released by Fairfax Newspapers. 41 per cent of respondents would like to have Key as prime minister.

Incumbent head of government Helen Clark of the Labour party is second with 30 per cent, followed by current foreign minister Winston Peters of New Zealand First with three per cent.

Clark has acted as New Zealand’s prime minister since December 1999. In November 2006, Don Brash—who had served as National’s leader since October 2003—announced his resignation and was substituted by finance spokesman Key.

In the September 2005 ballot, Labour elected 50 lawmakers to the 121-seat House of Representatives, and assembled a coalition government with the Progressives. United Future and New Zealand First agreed to support the administration in confidence and supply votes for three years. National finished second, with 48 legislators.

Yesterday, Clark criticized Key’s views on the Iraq war, saying, "We did face some criticism for the decision not to go there, not from mainstream New Zealanders. We were attacked by the National party when Bill English was the leader, when Don Brash was the leader when John Key was a backbencher. John Key said Labour was missing in action in the war in Iraq. You bet, because we didn’t want New Zealanders missing in action.’’

The next legislative election will take place on Nov. 8.

Polling Data

Who would you prefer as prime minister?

Source: AC Nielsen / Fairfax Newspapers
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 1,130 New Zealand voters, conducted from Sept. 10 to Sept. 16, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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