replacing them with Todd Muller and Nikki Kaye, respectively. Less than two months later, Muller resigned citing that his position had "become untenable from a health perspective". This came after a series of gaffes and scandals surrounding Muller and the National caucus during his tenure, triggering the second leadership election in as many months. He was succeeded by Judith Collins. Kaye, who served as interim leader during the hours between Muller's resignation and Collins's election, was succeeded by Gerry Brownlee. Collins led the party through the 2020 election, but was unable to recoup polling losses seen by the party throughout 2020 in time for the election, leading to the party losing 23 seats and suffering the second worst defeat in its history. Brownlee, who was the party campaign manager, lost his electorate seat, making it back as an MP via the party list and resigning as deputy leader two weeks later. He was replaced by Shane Reti, while Collins vowed to stay on as leader into the next election. On 1 February 2021, Collins announced that the National Party would contest the Māori electorates at the 2023 New Zealand general election. Current National party leader Christopher Luxon confirmed they would still be contesting the seats under his leadership. On 24 November 2021, Collins announced that Bridges was being demoted and stripped of his portfolios, in what was seen by many inside and outside the caucus (including National MP and Bridges' brother in-law Simon O'Connor) as an act of political revenge. O'Connor later announced that he was resigning his portfolios in protest, and demanded Collins' own resignation. Collins was removed as leader in an emergency caucus meeting the following morning, with Reti becoming interim leader. Christopher Luxon was elected unopposed with Nicola Willis as his deputy after Simon Bridges bowed out. Ideology and factions The New Zealand National Party has been characterised as a broad church, encompassing both conservative and liberal tendencies, and outlying populist and libertarian tendencies. All factions tend to be in tension, although the conservative tendency frequently prevails. The broad liberal tendency is expressed by both social liberals and the classical liberals, with the latter supporting economic liberalism. The early National Party was united in its anti-socialism, in opposition to the Labour Party. The party's principles include "loyalty to our country, its democratic principles and our Sovereign as Head of State; recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi as