- vstory
VIVA – Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern announced that she will resign as prime minister next month. She said that she no longer has "enough power" to lead. She will resign as the leader of the Labor Party no later than February 7.
“I am entering now my sixth year in office, and for each of those years, I have given my absolute all,” she said.
Her announcement came as a shock to people throughout the nation of five million people. Although there had been some chatter in political circles that Ardern might resign before the next election, she’d always maintained she planned to run again.
Perdana Menteri Selandia Baru, Jacinda Ardern
- nbcnews
It’s unclear who will take over as prime minister until the election. Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson announced that he won’t contest the leadership of the Labour Party, throwing the competition open.
Ardern became an inspiration to women around the world after winning the top job in 2017 at the relatively young age of 37. The following year, she became just the second world leader to give birth while holding office. When she brought her infant daughter to the floor of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2018, it brought smiles to people everywhere.
She also says her job is something very special but also challenging. "But I didn't leave because it was difficult. Had that been the case, I probably would have left the job for two months after taking office. I left because with such a privileged role comes responsibility, the responsibility of knowing when you are the right person to lead, and also, when you are not," she said.
"I know what this job requires, and I know that I no longer have enough capacity to do it justice. It's as simple as that," she added.
She was lauded globally for her country’s initial handling of the coronavirus pandemic after New Zealand managed for months to stop the virus at its borders. But she was forced to abandon that zero-tolerance strategy as more contagious variants spread and vaccines became widely available.
Ardern faced growing anger at home from those who opposed coronavirus mandates and rules. A protest last year that began on Parliament’s grounds lasted for more than three weeks and ended with protesters hurling rocks at police and setting fires to tents and mattresses as they were forced to leave.
