Social Credit Party (New Zealand)

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The New Zealand Social Credit Party (sometimes called "Socred") was a political party that was New Zealand's third party from the 1950s to the 1980s. It won representation in the New Zealand House of Representatives, holding one seat at times between 1966 and 1981, and two seats from 1981 to 1987. While Social Credit once had significant support, particularly as a protest vote, it was disadvantaged by first-past-the-post voting as it had no geographically concentrated vote. Its most identifiable leaders were Vernon Cracknell (1963–1970), who served just one term in parliament, and Bruce Beetham, who rebuilt the party into a significant political force. At its height under Beetham in 1981, Social Credit achieved 20.7% of the vote. The party held no seats in its own right after 1987 and subsequently declined. It was named the New Zealand Democratic Party from 1985 to 2018, and was part of the Alliance from 1991 to 2002. The party returned to the Social Credit name in 2018. The Social Credit...

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