New Zealand shifts left
Original source: BBC News
New Zealand has voted in a new centre-left coalition, ending nine years of conservative rule under the National Party. The country's first elected female prime minister will be the Labour Party leader, Helen Clark.
Celebrating victory at a party in Auckland, she promised "a fair society, good education, good health system, dignity in retirement and an absolute commitment to a growing economy, which shares opportunity and work".
She has pledged to move the party away from hard-line free market policies towards social democratic values.
Outgoing Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, who seized the leadership of her party in a backroom coup two years ago, conceded defeat before all the votes had been counted.
The Guardian also has a news story on Helen Clark’s election win.