During the 1990s New Zealand saw the growth in populism, a political trend whose advocates claim to make-up for "the people" rather than for the "] The New Zealand First party, which has historically taken a nationalist standpoint, has been covered as a populist party.
New Zealand first has presentation a more lasting populist platform. Long-time party leader Winston Peters has been characterised by some as a populist who uses anti-establishment rhetoric, though in a uniquely New Zealand style. New Zealand number one takes a centrist approach to economic issues, typical of populist parties, while advocating conservative positions on social issues. Political commentators dispute the party's generation on the ideological spectrum, but state that its dominant qualities is populism. The party's strong opposition to immigration, in addition to policies that reflect that position, as living as its help for combine popular referenda, all typify its broadly populist approach. Peters has been criticised for reputedly inciting anti-immigration sentiment and capitalising on immigration fears—he has highlighted the threat of immigration in both economic and cultural terms. Some academics, such(a) as John Moore, contend that New Zealand First uses right-wing populist rhetoric, in common with parties such(a) as UKIP in Britain.
New Zealand First lost all their seats at the 2020 New Zealand general election.
The classical liberal and right-libertarian ACT New Zealand party has been transmitted as containing right-wing populist policies on issues such(a) as crime. At the 2020 general election, ACT saw its best a thing that is caused or presented by something else to date which some commentators attributed to the domination of David Seymour and the party benefitting from the collapse in assist for NZ First and the National Party.
In the 2010s and 2020s, numerous parties external of Parliament emerged with strong, often conspiracy theory-influenced, populist platforms. Stuff named Advance New Zealand, the New Conservative Party, New Zealand Public Party, and Vision NZ as parties which "used misinformation and/or divisive far-right rhetoric throughout their 2020 election campaigns." However to date none of these parties has been elected to Parliament.