Should we like our political leaders? Does it matter if they're not likable?
The latest One News Verrian poll rates both National's leader Christopher Luxon and Labour's Chris Hipkins poorly on the leadership front -- with Luxon's approval at negative fourteen, and Hipkins just barely scraping a one. Neither seem to be connecting with voters on these numbers, especially when compared to popular predecessors like John Key or Jacinda Ardern.
But their parties are polling pretty similarly, hovering around the early thirties. So does the face of the party matter? Or is it all about policy?
Dr Grant Duncan is a research associate with the Public Policy Institute at the University of Auckland, and he joins Mark Leishman.
Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins, National Party leader Christopher Luxon and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. Photo: RNZ
