Ardern: I'll respect the outcome of the New Zealand cannabis vote

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, during a press conference.

AP

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed on Friday that she will respect the result of the referendum on the use of cannabis in the country.

The election commission confirmed the failure of the vote to legalize the personal use of marijuana, with a difference of only 67,662 votes.

The final results of the referendum show a split among voters, as 50.7% opposed legalization, while 48.4% supported it.

Ardern told a press conference on Friday that there would be no attempt by the Labor Party under her leadership to legalize or decriminalize cannabis despite the convergence of the outcome.

She added that her party has already made changes to the law, giving the police discretion to take the correct, health-based response to cannabis possession.

The New Zealand Electoral Commission confirmed on Friday that Ardern consolidated her historic victory in the election and officially secured her second term as New Zealand's prime minister.

The official results of the general elections that took place last October came after about 500,000 private votes were counted, including those cast abroad.

Ardern's Labor Party won an additional seat through special votes, and the party will currently hold 65 seats in the 120-seat parliament, which is enough to form a government on its own.

 No party has won an absolute majority since the country introduced its current parliamentary system, known as Mixed Proportional Representation, in 1996.

While Ardern will not form a coalition government, she and the Green Party have signed a "cooperation agreement", under which the two parties will work together.

Ardern said she was "incredibly humbled" by the mandate given to her by the electorate.

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