A belief economic pain is driving a dip in the polls for the right, rather than Coalition dynamics. 

Two polls out yesterday showed support dropping for Christopher Luxon as preferred Prime Minister, and the figures would let the left bloc form a Government. 

Luxon told reporters his team is focused on the job at hand, prioritising economic growth. 

He has rejected calls to act more like Donald Trump in signing executive orders, saying we have a different political system. 

University of Otago Law Professor Andrew Geddis told Kerre Woodham the US President is elected on a separate basis and has powers specific to the role that allow things like executive orders. 

He says that in New Zealand, the Prime Minister is the head of the executive branch but only insofar as Parliament lets them be.  

Geddis also notes that many of the things Trump is doing are flat out illegal, as he can’t use executive orders to overturn the Constitution.  

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