Could a battle for the middle give minor parties major power?

Parliament’s major parties are both leaning heavily towards the political centre, in order to attract the coveted middle New Zealand vote. But in doing so, they’re leaving an opportunity for the minor parties to pick up voters on the fringes. The thing is that as society becomes more polarised, those fringes are becoming larger and larger. This leaves some uncomfortable choices for both National and Labour as they head into the next election. So how do you appeal to the middle while not alienating the party faithful? And who has the most to lose in getting this balance wrong? Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Damien VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.