2021 New Zealand National Party leadership election

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The 2021 New Zealand National Party leadership election happened on 30 November 2021 after leader Judith Collins was removed in a no-confidence vote the day before. Deputy leader Shane Reti served as interim leader while the party chose a new head. Only Simon Bridges publicly announced he would run, but he withdrew about an hour before the caucus vote and endorsed Christopher Luxon.

Judith Collins had been leader since July 2020, after Todd Muller resigned for health reasons. The National Party recorded its second-worst result in the 2020 election, and polls did not show a meaningful improvement over the following year. The ACT Party gained ground, and Collins’s popularity remained low, leading to ongoing leadership speculation with former leader Bridges and first-term MP Christopher Luxon as the main possibilities.

In late November 2021, Collins demoted Bridges over a complaint about alleged comments to fellow MP Jacqui Dean in 2017; Bridges apologized. Collins claimed the decision had unanimous board support, a claim denied by party president Peter Goodfellow. On 25 November, Collins was removed as leader by a caucus vote, and Shane Reti became interim leader.

As discussions continued, the contest narrowed to Bridges and Luxon. On 29 November, it was reported the race favored Luxon, and Bridges withdrew to avoid a split caucus contest. Christopher Luxon was elected leader, becoming the fastest MP to reach the leadership of a major party—409 days after first entering Parliament. Wellington-based list MP Nicola Willis was elected deputy leader, forming a joint leadership ticket with Luxon, with Willis chosen to serve as his deputy.