# National and Labour stuck in middle

> National and Labour leaders struggle to stand out in crowded election debate.
- Title: National and Labour stuck in middle · RNZ | Shortify
- Summary: National and Labour leaders struggle to stand out in crowded election debate. National and Labour leaders face challenges competing with smaller parties in…
- Keywords: national party, labour party, people's debate, election 2026, new zealand first, opportunity party, greens, te pāti māori, chloe swarbrick, kieran mcantulty, nicola willis, shane jones
- Source: RNZ — https://rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/2367000/national-and-labour-stuck-in-the-middle
- Author: RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa
- Published: 2026-11-05T19:25:31+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: national party, labour party, people's debate, election 2026, new zealand first, opportunity party, greens, te pāti māori, chloe swarbrick, kieran mcantulty, nicola willis, shane jones
## Election debate setup
National and Labour leaders face competition from seven parties in Thursday night's People's Debate.
## National's struggle
National's Nicola Willis struggled to insert herself into debate despite being the most senior politician.
## Labour's challenge
Labour's Kieran McAnulty found it hard to answer questions he wasn't prepared for in the debate.
## New Zealand First's Shane Jones
Shane Jones criticized Michael Laws for sexist comments while advocating for respite care for methamphetamine affected whanau.

> reckless and foolish
## Greens' Chloe Swarbrick
Chloe Swarbrick was riding high on polls while aligning with ACT on social media bans.
## Te Pāti Māori's Hana-Rawhiti
Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke held her own despite limited preparation time in the debate.
## Coalition strategy
ACT and New Zealand First focused on coalition achievements while distinguishing their roles.
## Election outcome uncertainty
Polls remain close with any variable potentially tipping the balance for the next government.
## Key takeaway

National and Labour leaders face challenges competing with smaller parties in New Zealand's election campaign.