1997 New Zealand National Party leadership election

none April 2024 March 2017 1997 New Zealand National Party leadership election National logo 1990.jpg presidential no 1986 New Zealand National Party leadership election 1986 2001 New Zealand National Party leadership election 2001 8 December 1997 130px Jenny Shipley 00529F elected unopposed Leader Leader after election Jim Bolger Jenny Shipley An election for the position of leader of the New Zealand National Party occurred in 1997. Jim Bolger, the incumbent leader and prime minister, ended up losing his position. Transport Minister Jenny Shipley grew increasingly frustrated and disillusioned with the cautious pace of National's leader, Jim Bolger, and with what she saw as the disproportionate influence of coalition partner New Zealand First. She began gathering support to replace Bolger in mid-1997. Shipley struck later that year, while Bolger attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. She convinced a majority of her National Party colleagues to back her bid for the leadership. When Bolger returned to New Zealand, he discovered that Shipley was not only planning to challenge his leadership, but had lined up enough support in the party room to defeat him. Facing an untenable situation, he resigned, and Shipley was unanimously elected to replace him.Bolger 1998 17 As leader of the governing party, she became Prime Minister on 8 December 1997.https://nzhistory.govt.nz/people/jenny-shipley Jenny Shipley New Zealand History 31 January 2018 Notes References Bolger Jim Jim Bolger Bolger: A View from the Top 1998 Viking Auckland 0-670-88369-7 National Party 1997 New Zealand National Party leadership election National Party leadership election