Luxon survives another leadership vote months before New Zealand's election

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Wednesday that he survived a leadership vote prompted by a challenge from his defense minister less than three months before an election.The vote took place during a hastily convened meeting of Luxon’s center-right National Party lawmakers at Parliament in Wellington, which was held behind closed doors and ran for more than three hours. Luxon then emerged flanked by his lawmakers to give a brief statement and departed without taking any questions from reporters.“There was a confidence vote in my leadership this morning at our caucus meeting,” he said. “I had the full support of our caucus and our caucus is united and it is determined to win this election.”Luxon didn’t say how many lawmakers had voted for him to continue in the job, although such ballots are usually a secret.Hours later, he said in a statement that the vote was prompted by a leadership challenge from his defense minister, Chris Penk, adding that he had removed Penk from his ministerial portfolios. On Wednesday night, Luxon's office distributed a statement from Penk, in which the challenger said he would quit Parliament altogether.The vote w...