ACT leader David Seymour says he believes Labour and National are open to giving Winston Peters the Prime Ministership.

David Seymour claims to know which party will form the next government, and who will be at the helm.

On Monday, the ACT Party leader, who is the only member of his party to gain a seat in Parliament, released a rundown of the campaign, the election, and the country's next steps from his perspective.

There were a few strange claims and comments within the more than 1000-word release, including an assertion that Winston Peters would soon be prime minister.

LAWRENCE SMITH/STUFF When asked whether this information came from sources within Labour or National, or whether the assertions came from Seymour's own deductions and musings, he refused to reveal any further information.

The party that offers the NZ First leader the prime ministership will form the next government, Seymour said.

COUNTERPOINT: Why it's extremely unlikely Winston Peters will become prime minister



"The only thing Winston has never had is to be immortalised, and that requires being PM."

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF There's no love lost between Seymour and Peters, and Monday's release was a chance for the ACT leader to call Peters' fitness to be part of a government into question.

Seymour said people remember prime ministers, they don't remember deputies and foreign ministers, for decades to come.

"He wants his photo up on the wall; he wants to be remembered forever.... he wants to be immortalised."

Seymour said if Peters didn't come out of the coalition negotiations as prime minister, he'd failed.

HAGEN HOPKINS/GETTY IMAGES Peters is currently engaged in parallel coalition negotiations with National and Labour.

"That's his objective."

Labour and National both ruled out giving Peters the roles of prime minister or finance minister during the campaign.

While there is the view that everything is on the table during coalition negotiations, neither of the parties have hinted they would budge on the matter of who would lead if they were in government.

IAIN McGREGOR / STUFF Despite what Seymour says, neither major party has signalled the role of Prime Minister is on the table. In fact, both leaders ruled out Peters as Prime Minister during the election campaign.

However, Seymour claims Labour's front bench "would do anything for a ministerial car", and it would trade leader Jacinda Ardern for the Beehive.

"The only thing that holds National together is the belief that they were born to rule," Seymour continued.

When asked how he came to the conclusion that Peters would demand the prime ministership, and that at least one of the major parties would give in to that demand, Seymour said "it's just deduction that it makes sense".

Seymour said he would neither "confirm nor deny" whether he had any sources within Labour or National to back up the unlikely claim the major parties would be open to making Peters prime minister.

"I'd never reveal any sources anyway."

Seymour said Peters would would drop all his bottom lines for the baubles of the ninth floor (where the prime minister's office is located), but then went on to say the prime minister has little power.

To help prove his point, Seymour said the prime minister's office was tiny.

"The prime minister is in charge of the Cabinet Office which just handles the paperwork for the Cabinet and has no power...

"The PM chairs Cabinet and the power comes from allocating portfolios. Under a coalition the parties would agree on the portfolios. This would mean the prime minister would really be just the front man for the government."

Seymour said while some prime ministers like Robert Muldoon and Helen Clark had power, others like John Key and David Lange were essentially figureheads.

The perception it was the country's top job was incorrect, he said.

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet states, as well as being the leader of the country, and being the principal adviser to the Sovereign and the Governor-General, the prime minister also determines portfolio allocations and ministerial rankings.

The prime minister also determines the title and scope of each portfolio.

Customarily, they are also responsible for national security and intelligence matters, and may also hold other portfolios.

It's no secret there's no love lost between Peters and Seymour and this press release was another opportunity for the ACT leader to cast doubt on Peters' plans and motives.

As part of the anti-Peters statement, Seymour also referred to Peters' age as a way to question his fitness to lead.

In one section, he labelled ACT as Peters' "number one enemy".

"We intend to continue to oppose Winston's reckless populism and predict that while Winston may be our enemy we are about to gain many new friends. Every other party is courting Winston so it falls on us to let you know what is really going on."

Seymour said opposing Peters in the House was an "important role", adding that he expected a government with Peters to be "disastrous" as it had been when he'd held the balance of power in the past, and it was up to a strong party like ACT to hold him to account.

Seymour would return to Parliament after retaining his Epsom electorate seat. However, ACT only received 13,075 votes, or 0.5 per cent of the share, so no new MPs would be joining him.