New Zealand: Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, Resigns Ahead of October Elections
The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, revealed on Thursday that she will resign in the coming weeks because she does not feel she has the stamina to run for reelection in the upcoming October polls.
At a press conference, Ardern stated that a new Labour prime minister will likely be sworn in on February 7 but that "depending on the process that could be earlier."
Ardern claimed, "The decision was my own. Leading a country is the most privileged job anyone could ever have, but also the most challenging. You cannot and should not do the job unless you have a full tank, plus a bit in reserve for those unplanned and unexpected challenges. "
"I no longer have enough in the tank to do the job justice," she continued.
In 2017, at the age of 37, Ardern became New Zealand's third female leader and one of the youngest leaders in the world when she was elected prime minister. In less than a year she became the second head of state in the world to give birth while in office.
As a result of New Zealand's "go hard and go early" response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the country imposed some of the world's strictest border rules, including the separation of families and the exclusion of nearly all foreigners for nearly two years. This policy contributed to her reelection in 2020.
On Thursday, Ardern was frank about the stress of her position and the challenges her administration has encountered in the wake of recent tragedies like the 2018 Ebola outbreak and the 2019 Christchurch terror incident, which claimed the lives of fifty-one people in two mosques.
Ardern's swift response to the attack was widely hailed as a defining moment of her leadership. She quickly instituted changes to gun laws, showed her respect for the Muslim community by donning a headscarf, and said she would never mention the suspected attacker's name in public.
"The only interesting angle that you will find is that after going on six years of some big challenges, I am human. Politicians are human," she said. "We give all that we can for as long as we can, and then it's time. And for me, it's time."
Ardern also emphasised climate change and child poverty laws passed during her time in office. "I wouldn't want these last five and a half years to simply be about the challenges. For me, it's also been about the progress," she commented.
Ardern's resignation was "surprising" but not a complete surprise, according to Bryce Edwards, a political scientist at New Zealand's Victoria University of Wellington.
He stated, "She is celebrated throughout the world but her government has plummeted in the polls."
The next New Zealand general election will take place on October 14.
Ardern's fame has spread beyond New Zealand; she has appeared on the covers of Vogue and Time and has even hosted American TV star Stephen Colbert at her suburban Auckland home.
While Ardern won praise from all around the world for her openness and compassion, her reputation in her own country of New Zealand has declined in recent years due to claims that she has failed to deliver the transformative administration she promised when she was first elected.
Radio New Zealand, a CNN affiliate, reported in late 2022 that Ardern's and her Labour Party's support had fallen to its lowest levels since she assumed government in 2017.
Political expert Edwards speculated that Ardern's choice to step aside may protect her from a bad election outcome.
"Leaving now is the best thing for her reputation…she will go out on good terms rather than lose the election," he added.
Despite Edwards' claim that there isn't "anyone obvious" to take her position, Police and Education Minister Chris Hipkins, who is close with Ardern, and Justice Minister Kiri Allan are all viable options.
Ardern stated that she is now undecided about her future, but is looking forward to reclaiming her time with her loved ones. It may be argued that they have made more sacrifices than anybody else, as Ardern herself acknowledged.