A history-making centrist party that could influence New Zealand’s political direction has taken aim at populism as lawmakers arrived at parliament on Monday.

A nail-biting election failed to hand either the incumbent rightwing coalition or opposition left bloc a strong winning hand on Saturday. New Zealanders will now need to wait until 27 November for the final result, which includes the addition of about 400,000 “special votes” – those cast overseas or outside the voter’s electorate.

The Opportunity party , led by businesswoman Qiulae Wong, secured 5.9% of the party votes, clearing the hurdle to enter parliament, and becoming the first new party not born of an existing MP, or party, to enter parliament since the formation of New Zealand’s mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system in 1996.

Wong, who is of Chinese and European descent, also becomes the first leader of a party who has Asian ethnicity.

With the left and right blocs separated by just a few seats, after the official results are…