Many say that Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) representation has not worked in Aotearoa New Zealand. Critics point to hung parliaments, messy compromises, and policy drift. Yet the current coalition offers a counter-narrative: it shows how MMP has matured. Coalition partners, whether small or mid-sized, are not just supporting acts rather they are shaping the script. Legislative changes are being secured, and in some cases, even highly contentious measures such as the Treaty Principles Bill are being promised at least as far as the first reading. In a political system that was once accused of marginalising minor voices, MMP now seems to be amplifying them.

Another unusual feature of this moment is the simultaneous decline in popularity for both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. Traditionally, New Zealand politics has followed a pendulum pattern. When one side weakens, the other gathers strength. But now, the pendulum seems to hesitate mid-swing, as if unsure of which direction to take. It signals something deeper than discontent with individual leaders; it suggests an unease with the traditional centre-left and centre-right binaries themselves.

Meanwhile, the Green Party has begun to assert itself not as a junior partner but as a party with a full-spectrum prospectus, positioning itself on social issues, climate change, and economic transformation. Their rise marks a subtle but notable shift in the political weather. Once cast as a conscience or a supplement, they now suggest the possibility of being a core force. Whether they can sustain such momentum beyond the heat of particular debates remains to be seen.

But is this recalibration of politics for any good? Or is it merely a reshuffling of the familiar deck? For decades, both Labour and National blocs have carried the heavy baggage of neoliberal consensus. Voters sense the weight of this inheritance, the unfinished questions of inequality, housing, and public services. The decline of traditional parties may open a gap, but is it a genuine opening for alternatives, or just a mirage reflecting temporary voter fatigue?

Perhaps the most telling feature of this season is the erosion of credibility at the centre. Voters appear increasingly sceptical that incrementalism or market solutions alone can carry the country forward. The question now is whether middle parties will hollow out and fade, or whether they will mutate into something more adaptive. Either way, the story of MMP is no longer about whether it “works” in a narrow sense, but how it evolves. How it channels discontent, how it redistributes influence, and how it translates New Zealand’s changing social mood into political form.

Yet for all the shifts and experiments within Parliament, the health of MMP also depends on the willingness of citizens to participate. Declining voter turnout, especially among younger generations and marginalised communities, risks undermining the legitimacy of these changes. A truly maturing democracy would not only refine how coalitions govern but also inspire more people to step into the voting booth. If MMP is to live up to its promise, it must not only amplify diverse voices in the House but also encourage more of them to be heard at the ballot box.