WELLINGTON, Nov 8: New Zealand’s centre-right National Party coalition, led by John Key, has ousted long-serving Prime Minister Helen Clark in Saturday’s general election, New Zealand television networks predicted.

Television New Zealand, TV3 and Sky Television predicted a National-led coalition would be formed, ending nine years in power by Clark’s Labour Party.

With 98.1 per cent of the vote counted, National Party had 45 per cent of the vote, giving it 59 seats in the parliament of around 122 seats.

Sky reported that Clark had left her house to go to her party’s sombre election gathering after telephoning Key to congratulate him on his victory.

National Party allies, the ACT party, were forecast to win five seats, which would ensure a majority.

The Labour Party had 34 per cent of the vote, giving it 43 seats and allies the Green Party had six per cent of the vote, or eight seats.—AFP