NZ PM Helen Clark Ousted After 9 Years

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WELLINGTON: New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has suffered a resounding defeat in the country's general election. After a record nine years in power Ms Clark today conceded defeat to her rival John Key, the leader of the centre right National Party who will become the country's least experienced Prime Minister in 100 years. Standing down as Prime Minister and as leader of the Labour Party, Mrs Clark said she was proud to have led Labour into government at the last three elections. She congratulated John Key and National but warned him Labour would not be going away. "I accept the choice the people have made and accept responsibility," she told party faithful, adding, to the surprise of many, that she would stand down after 15 years as leader of Labour. The National party had been widely predicted to win, with Mr Key consistently leading his rival in the polls by up to 12%. With more than 98 percent of the vote counted, National had 45 percent of the vote, giving it 59 seats in the parliament of around 122 seats. National's ally, the ACT party, was forecast to win five seats, which ensured a majority. The Labour Party had 34 percent of the vote, giving it 43 seats and its allies the Green Party had six percent of the vote, or eight seats. A record 3 million voters turned out in spring sunshine to oust the formidable woman who has led them for nearly a decade.


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