Wellington, Nov. 6, (dpa/GNA) – New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will respect the outcome of the country’s cannabis referendum, she confirmed on Friday.
The electoral commission confirmed a vote to legalize personal use of cannabis had failed, by just 67,662 votes.
Results show the final vote was split, with 50.7 per cent against legalization, while 48.4 per cent voted for.
There would be no attempt by Ardern’s Labour party to legalize or decriminalize cannabis despite the close result, Ardern told a press conference on Friday.
Labour had already made changes to the law, with police given discretion to take a health-based response to cannabis possession, she said.
Her government would “drill into” how that was working, as well as the medicinal cannabis scheme which came into effect in April.
The final count, including some 500,000 special votes, also extended Ardern’s historic election win, with Labour gaining one seat to hold 65 of the 120-seat parliament.
No party has won an outright majority since the country introduced its current parliamentary system, known as mixed-member proportional representation, in 1996.
Ardern said she was “incredibly humbled” by the mandate given to her by voters.
“Today I reminded Cabinet that the honour of serving comes with great responsibility. We take nothing for granted in leading the team of five million over the next three years.”
While Ardern will not form a coalition government, she and the Green Party have signed a “co-operation agreement,” whereby the parties will work together and the Greens would support Labour in confidence and supply matters, as it already does.
Special votes also confirmed the Maori Party will return to parliament with two seats, and that the Green Party has secured its first electorate win in more than 20 years.
The commission confirmed New Zealanders had voted in favour of legalizing euthanasia, so it will become law in 12 months’ time, thereby allowing a terminally ill person to request assisted dying.
New Zealand’s general election, held in mid October, saw 2.9 million votes cast, with 82.2 per cent of people who were enrolled voting. It was the highest voter turnout since 1999, the electoral commission said.
GNA