2026 New Zealand general election: Foreign policy, defence, trade and regional security

New Zealand's 2026 general election is scheduled for 7 November 2026. The major parties have different approaches to how New Zealand should position itself in an increasingly contested international environment.

The central debate is about four questions:

1. Foreign relationships: How closely should New Zealand align with Australia, the United States, China, the United Kingdom and other international partners?
2. Defence: Should New Zealand increase military spending and deepen defence partnerships, or prioritise independence, neutrality and peacekeeping?
3. Trade: How should New Zealand protect and expand its access to international markets, particularly China, the United States and Asia?
4. Regional security: What role should New Zealand play in the Pacific, and how should it respond to growing strategic competition between China and Western powers?

The comparison below focuses on the seven parties covered by the main 2026 election policy trackers: National, Labour, ACT, New Zealand First, the Green Party, Te Pāti Māori and The Opportunities Party (TOP). It distinguishes published campaign commitments from broader party principles and existing government policy.

1. Party-by-party comparison

National Party

National — Christopher Luxon

International partnerships and export growth

Centre-right · Governing party

• Foreign relationships: Emphasises established relationships with Australia and traditional international partners. Supports stronger Pacific security partnerships.
• Defence: Supports closer defence and security cooperation with Australia and Pacific partners. In July 2026, the Government announced it would explore joining the Australia–Fiji Ocean of Peace Alliance.
• Trade: Strong emphasis on export growth, new free-trade agreements and market diversification. Its target is to double the value of exports by 2034.
• Regional security: Supports greater Pacific security cooperation, including exploring participation in the Ocean of Peace Alliance.

Its trade programme includes at least 23 trade missions over the next parliamentary term and negotiations with seven new economies over five years. NZ to explore joining Fiji-Australia defence allianceNew Zealand's Next Billion Customers

Key distinction: National's approach combines traditional security relationships with an active effort to expand commercial relationships internationally.

Labour Party

Labour — Chris Hipkins

International law and diplomatic engagement

Centre-left · Main opposition party

• Foreign relationships: Wants to deepen relationships with the European Union, Canada, ASEAN and Pacific nations. Places particular emphasis on international law and multilateral institutions.
• Defence: Proposes greater parliamentary scrutiny if New Zealand joins armed conflicts. Supports international efforts to prohibit lethal fully autonomous weapons.
• Trade: Wants to develop new market opportunities in Africa and South America and strengthen economic integration with Pacific countries.
• Regional security: Emphasises diplomacy, international institutions, human rights and development assistance. Proposes progressively increasing overseas development assistance towards 0.7% of gross national income, subject to fiscal conditions.

Labour has also announced that it would:

• Recognise the State of Palestine.
• Introduce economic sanctions on Israel.
• Require the NZ Super Fund and ACC to divest from holdings on the UN list of companies operating in occupied territories.
• Support South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice concerning the Genocide Convention. Foreign Affairs

Key distinction: Labour places particular emphasis on international law, diplomatic accountability and strengthening relationships beyond New Zealand's traditional Western partners.

ACT Party

ACT — David Seymour

National sovereignty and individual freedom

Classical liberal / libertarian · Coalition partner

• Foreign relationships: ACT's published 2026 policy catalogue does not provide a comparably detailed foreign-affairs programme.
• Defence: ACT participates in the current National-led Government's defence direction, but it is important not to attribute every coalition defence decision specifically to ACT.
• Trade: Its wider economic approach emphasises private enterprise, competition and reducing regulatory barriers. A distinct, detailed 2026 trade and foreign-policy programme was not established in the material reviewed.
• Regional security: No sufficiently detailed, separately published 2026 regional-security programme was identified.

ACT's position should therefore be distinguished from National's: coalition participation does not automatically mean the two parties have identical foreign-policy commitments. ACT New ZealandForeign affairs and sovereignty: party comparison 2026

New Zealand First

New Zealand First — Winston Peters

Defence capability and national sovereignty

Nationalist / conservative · Coalition partner

• Foreign relationships: Emphasises national sovereignty and the need to assess international agreements against New Zealand's national interests.
• Defence: Its Defending the Realm programme proposes a six-year Defence Force rebuilding programme, with a target of defence spending reaching 3% of GDP by 2032.
• Trade: Emphasises protecting New Zealand's national interests and economic independence. Its detailed trade position should be distinguished from National's more extensive export programme.
• Regional security: Supports rebuilding military capability and maintaining New Zealand's ability to defend its interests.

Its approach to international agreements includes a national-interest test where agreements could constrain domestic decision-making. Foreign affairs and sovereignty: party comparison 2026Know Your Vote

Key distinction: NZ First places greater emphasis on military capability, national sovereignty and the ability to make independent decisions.

Green Party

Green Party — Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson

Independent foreign policy and peace

Progressive / environmentalist · Opposition

• Foreign relationships: Advocates an independent foreign policy based on peace, democracy, human rights, self-determination and climate cooperation.
• Defence: Its foreign-policy approach places greater emphasis on conflict prevention, peacekeeping, humanitarian work and environmental monitoring than military alignment.
• Trade: Wants trade and foreign investment to incorporate sustainability, human rights, workers' rights and environmental protections.
• Regional security: Emphasises Pacific partnership, climate security and regional cooperation.

Its published policy direction also includes:

• Opposing New Zealand joining AUKUS.
• Leaving the Five Eyes intelligence network.
• Recognising Palestine and imposing sanctions on Israel.
• Establishing a centre for training international peacekeepers.
• Subjecting trade agreements to democratic scrutiny and enforceable social and environmental commitments. Green Party of Aotearoa New ZealandComplete Party PolicyManifesto 2026

Key distinction: The Greens question the extent of New Zealand's military and intelligence alignment with the United States and put greater weight on peacebuilding and international accountability.

Te Pāti Māori

Te Pāti Māori

Military neutrality and Pacific independence

Māori-centred · Opposition

• Foreign relationships: Wants an independent foreign policy grounded in Māori values, mana motuhake, Pacific relationships and Indigenous solidarity.
• Defence: Proposes formally declaring New Zealand militarily neutral.
• Trade: Emphasises sovereignty and relationships with Pacific and Indigenous communities. A detailed international trade programme was not established in the material reviewed.
• Regional security: Wants the Defence Force focused on national protection, disaster response and Pacific support rather than participation in overseas military conflicts.

Its June 2026 military-neutrality policy proposes:

• Withdrawing from military alignments that undermine sovereignty.
• Avoiding participation in foreign wars unless New Zealand is directly threatened.
• Supporting international human rights.
• Holding war criminals accountable.
• Positioning New Zealand as an independent voice for peace. Military neutralityMilitary neutrality

Key distinction: Te Pāti Māori proposes a formal change to New Zealand's military posture, rather than simply adjusting existing defence relationships.

The Opportunities Party (TOP)

TOP — Qiulae 'Q' Wong

Evidence-based economic reform

Centrist / reform-oriented · Not currently represented in Parliament

• Foreign relationships: No sufficiently detailed 2026 foreign-policy position was identified.
• Defence: No clearly documented, detailed defence spending or military-alignment proposal was identified.
• Trade: TOP's main published economic emphasis is structural economic reform, including its proposed land-value tax and tax-system changes. A comprehensive foreign-trade programme was not established.
• Regional security: No detailed 2026 regional-security programme was identified.

This is an important distinction: a lack of published detail should not be interpreted as opposition to existing defence or trade arrangements. Foreign affairs and sovereignty: party comparison 2026The main parties vying to form New Zealand's next government

2. Comparison across the four issues

The following table summarises the main differences rather than attempting to rank the parties.

Party	Foreign relationships	Defence	Trade	Pacific security
National	Traditional partners and international engagement	Stronger defence partnerships	Export expansion and FTAs	Regional defence cooperation
Labour	EU, Canada, ASEAN and Pacific	Parliamentary scrutiny and arms regulation	Diversification and Pacific integration	Diplomacy and development
ACT	National sovereignty; limited specific detail	Coalition defence direction	Business and market-led approach	Limited specific detail
NZ First	Sovereignty and national interest	Major capability expansion	National-interest emphasis	Stronger defence capability
Greens	Independent, multilateral and human-rights focused	Peacekeeping and reduced military alignment	Social and environmental conditions	Climate and Pacific partnership
Te Pāti Māori	Independent, Māori and Pacific-centred	Formal military neutrality	Limited specific detail	Disaster response and Pacific protection
TOP	Limited specific detail	Limited specific detail	Economic and structural reform	Limited specific detail

Sources: official party material and 2026 election policy trackers. Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026Know Your VoteForeign AffairsManifesto 2026Military neutralityForeign affairs and sovereignty: party comparison 2026

3. The biggest strategic differences

There are several particularly important dividing lines between the parties.

A. Relationship with the United States and China

New Zealand faces a difficult strategic balancing act: China is a major trading partner, while the United States and Australia are important security partners.

Party	Broad approach
National	Maintains traditional Western security relationships while pursuing international trade opportunities.
Labour	Supports international partnerships but emphasises diplomacy, international law and broader relationships with Europe and ASEAN.
ACT	Supports the current coalition's general direction; its distinct 2026 foreign-policy commitments are less developed.
NZ First	Emphasises sovereignty and national interests when dealing with international powers.
Greens	Wants greater independence from US military and intelligence arrangements.
Te Pāti Māori	Wants neutrality and freedom from military alignments dictated by major powers.
TOP	Insufficient published detail for a firm comparison.

One particularly important distinction is the Greens' opposition to AUKUS and Five Eyes membership, compared with the more established Western security orientation of the current National-led Government. Green Party of Aotearoa New ZealandNZ to explore joining Fiji-Australia defence allianceForeign affairs and sovereignty: party comparison 2026

B. Defence spending and military alliances

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The parties have substantially different ideas about the purpose and scale of New Zealand's military.

• NZ First: Proposes defence expenditure reaching 3% of GDP by 2032, with a six-year military restructuring programme.
• National: Supports stronger defence cooperation with Australia and Pacific partners, including exploring the Ocean of Peace Alliance.
• ACT: Participates in the current coalition's defence direction, without an equally detailed standalone programme in the material reviewed.
• Labour: Emphasises oversight of military commitments, international arms regulation and parliamentary scrutiny of decisions to enter armed conflicts.
• Greens: Prioritises peacekeeping, conflict prevention and reducing military dependence on the United States.
• Te Pāti Māori: Proposes military neutrality and refocusing the Defence Force on territorial protection, disaster relief and Pacific assistance.
• TOP: No detailed defence expenditure or force-structure commitment identified.

The underlying question is whether New Zealand should become more integrated into Western and regional defence arrangements or pursue a more independent, neutral security policy. Know Your VoteNZ to explore joining Fiji-Australia defence allianceManifesto 2026Military neutrality

C. Trade and economic relationships

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Trade is an area where the parties' approaches are not necessarily as different as their defence policies.

• National: Has a clearly articulated export-growth programme, including doubling exports by 2034, additional trade missions and new trade negotiations.
• Labour: Emphasises diversification towards Europe, Canada, ASEAN, Africa and South America, alongside closer Pacific economic integration.
• Greens: Wants trade agreements to incorporate environmental protections, workers' rights, human rights and democratic scrutiny.
• NZ First: Emphasises national sovereignty and the domestic economic interest when negotiating international arrangements.
• ACT: Its economic philosophy favours private enterprise and reducing barriers, although a detailed standalone trade programme was not identified.
• Te Pāti Māori: Emphasises Pacific and Indigenous relationships, but has less detailed published conventional trade policy.
• TOP: Focuses primarily on domestic structural economic reform in its published programme.

An important distinction is that National focuses explicitly on the volume of exports, whereas Labour places additional emphasis on diversifying international relationships and the Greens place more conditions on how trade agreements are negotiated. New Zealand's Next Billion CustomersForeign AffairsComplete Party PolicyForeign affairs and sovereignty: party comparison 2026

D. Pacific regional security

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This is particularly important for New Zealand because instability in the Pacific can affect maritime security, diplomatic relationships, trade, migration and disaster response.

The main approaches are:

• National: Greater security cooperation with Australia, Fiji and other Pacific nations. Its exploration of the Ocean of Peace Alliance is a concrete example.
• Labour: Greater regional economic integration, development assistance, diplomacy and cooperation through Pacific institutions.
• NZ First: Strengthening New Zealand's military capability to protect national and regional interests.
• Greens: Prioritising climate security, Pacific partnership, humanitarian assistance and peaceful conflict resolution.
• Te Pāti Māori: Placing Pacific sovereignty, Indigenous relationships, disaster response and military neutrality at the centre of regional policy.
• ACT and TOP: Less detailed independently published Pacific security programmes.

A significant question is how Pacific countries themselves should shape regional security arrangements, rather than having those arrangements determined primarily by larger powers. NZ to explore joining Fiji-Australia defence allianceForeign AffairsManifesto 2026Military neutrality

4. The key questions voters may want to examine

These questions capture the underlying policy choices more clearly than party labels.

Strategic question	Competing approaches
Should NZ deepen US security ties?	Existing security partnerships versus greater independence from US military arrangements.
Should NZ join AUKUS?	Closer integration with Western security structures versus opposition to joining.
Should defence spending increase substantially?	NZ First's 3% GDP target versus other parties' different or less explicit commitments.
Should NZ remain militarily non-aligned?	Existing defence partnerships versus formal neutrality proposed by Te Pāti Māori.
How should NZ manage China?	Maintaining commercial relationships while balancing strategic and security considerations.
What should NZ prioritise in the Pacific?	Defence partnerships, economic integration, climate resilience, sovereignty or a combination.
Should trade agreements have additional conditions?	Commercial market access versus enforceable environmental, labour and human-rights requirements.

5. Sources for checking the policies

For a closer examination, these are useful starting points, particularly because party policies can change during the election campaign.

1. Policy.nz – 2026 Defence and Foreign Affairs comparison
2. National – 2026 election policies
3. National – New Zealand's Next Billion Customers
4. Labour – Foreign Affairs policy
5. Green Party – 2026 manifesto
6. ACT – Party policies
7. Te Pāti Māori – Military neutrality policy
8. Know Your Vote – 2026 election policy tracker

One important qualification: Not every party has released equally detailed foreign-policy commitments. In particular, ACT and TOP have less independently documented material on these four subjects in the sources reviewed. Coalition government decisions should also not automatically be treated as individual party policies.

Overall perspective

The 2026 election presents three broad strategic approaches to New Zealand's international position:

1. Closer security partnerships and stronger defence capability: Most clearly represented by National's regional defence cooperation and NZ First's proposed military expansion, with ACT participating in the coalition's direction.
2. International diplomacy and diversified relationships: Particularly evident in Labour's emphasis on international law, Europe, ASEAN and the Pacific.
3. Greater strategic independence and neutrality: Most clearly represented by the Greens and Te Pāti Māori, although their approaches differ in their emphasis on international institutions, peacekeeping and Māori sovereignty.

These are broad descriptions, not rigid groupings: the parties also have differences within each approach.

For voters, perhaps the most consequential question is:

What role should New Zealand play in the Indo-Pacific over the next decade: a more integrated Western security partner, an independent diplomatic and trading nation, or a formally neutral Pacific nation?

That question connects foreign policy, defence spending, trade relationships and New Zealand's long-term security.