New Zealand's conservative National Party on Monday signed agreements with two allies in the wake of last month's general election to give it a narrow two-vote majority in parliament. The Nationals won 60 seats in the 121-member House of Representatives at the November 26 election, inflicting a resounding defeat on the main opposition Labour Party, which won 34, but falling short of an outright majority. After a week of negotiations, Prime Minister John Key signed co-operation agreements with each of the single members of the centrist United Future and free market ACT parties to win parliament seats. The pacts fall short of a formal coalition, but both guaranteed to support Key's party in critical votes on money supply and confidence, according to a report of the German Press Agency "DPA".
