New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, praised for leading her country through crises with empathy, will step down in February. She made the announcement at a press conference on January 19, saying she didn't have the energy to continue doing justice to the job.
Ardern will resign no later than February 7, after which the Labour caucus will pick a new leader. In October, the New Zealand will head to a national election.
Here are 10 things to know about the country's outgoing leader:
- Jacinda Ardern grew up in New Zealand's North Island. The region's poverty played a role in defining her beliefs.
- She went on to study communications. Her political career began with a stint at former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark's office. After that, she moved to Britain to serve as a policy advisor for Tony Blair's administration.
Jacinda Ardern will resign next month: Reactions to New Zealand PM's announcement
- Ardern became a New Zealand MP in 2o08, progressing from there to become the Labour Party's deputy leader in March 2017.
- Just weeks before the election in 2o17, Ardern was leading the party, only the second woman after Helen Clark.
- The general elections were held in September that year, the results of which gave neither the Labour nor National parties enough seats to govern independently. The Labour party and New Zealand First agreed to a coalition, after which Ardern was appointed prime minister.
- Ardern was 37 when she became the New Zealand PM, the youngest since 1856. She was re-elected in 2020.
- The next year, she made another record, by becoming only the second leader to have a child while in office. The first was Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan (1990).
- In 2019, Ardern would face the toughest situation as PM. Two mosques in Christchurch were attacked, leading to 51 deaths, in the most fatal mass shooting in New Zealand's history. Ardern stepped up to comfort grieving families, with photos of her wearing a headscarf and hugging people striking a chord globally.
- The same year, she dealt with another disaster. A volcano erupted on New Zealand's White Island, killing 22 people. Ardern won wide praise for disaster response, from meetings with rescue personnel to press conferences where her demeanour was described as "calm and responsible".
- The COVID-19 pandemic brought on new challenges but New Zealand weathered it with low death figures, attributed to the administration's strict lockdown measures. But post 2020, Ardern's popularity began fading, as New Zealand grappled with economic uncertainties and rising crime.
(With inputs from AFP)
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
