National to hold emergency caucus meeting on Friday about party's leadership

May 20, 2020

1 NEWS understands the challengers are Nikki Kaye and Todd Muller.

The National Party is holding an emergency caucus meeting this week, with a planned coup underway to unseat leader Simon Bridges.

It comes after disastrous poll results were released this week, support for the party slumping 12.7 percentage points to 30.6 per cent.

Earlier today, Mr Bridges admitted he's aware of a planned coup within the party.

1 NEWS understands Todd Muller and Nikki Kaye are going to contest the leadership, with the party calling an emergency caucus meeting on Friday.

The meeting will take place at midday and National MPs have been called to Wellington for the event.

Meanwhile National MP Mark Mitchell is pledging his support behind Mr Bridges, after his leader told MediaWorks this morning he believes Mr Mitchell is one of the people gunning for his job.

National MPs Simon Bridges (left) and Mark Mitchell (right).

But Mr Mitchell is pledging his allegiance to his leader.

Mr Mitchell told 1 NEWS today he'll be backing Mr Bridges when the party votes on a new leader.

MP for Rodney Mr Mitchell and Mr Bridges both competed for the role of National Party leader in 2018, after the resignation of then-leader Bill English. Mr Bridges came out on top.

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