New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, a global progressive political figure, stunned the country on Thursday by announcing she would step down from office within weeks.
The 42-year-old – who has led the country through natural disasters, the Covid pandemic and its worst terror attacks – said he did not have “enough in the tank”.
Ardern: ‘Not enough in the tank’
“I am human. We give as much as we can for as long as we can and then it’s time. And for me, it’s time,” he told a meeting of Labor Party members.
Ardern said she would step down no later than February 7, less than three years after winning a landslide election to secure a second term.
Since the peak of “Jacindamania” in 2020, Ardern’s government has struggled – its popularity hampered by rising inflation, a lingering recession and a resurgent conservative opposition.
“I believe that the head of state is the most privileged job anyone can have, but also one of the more challenging,” Ardern said.
“You can’t and shouldn’t do it unless you have a full tank, plus a reserve for unexpected challenges.”
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The ‘Jacinda’ Effect
Ardern won international praise for her empathetic handling of the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre, in which 51 Muslim worshipers were killed and 40 others injured.
Later that year he was praised for his decisive leadership during the eruption of the White Island volcano (also known as Whakaari).
On Thursday, he cited the government’s actions on housing affordability, climate change and child poverty as a source of pride.
“And we’ve done that while responding to some of the biggest threats to the health and economic well-being of our nation probably since World War II,” Ardern said.
Featured on the cover of British Vogue and Time magazine, there is a perception that Ardern is more popular abroad than at home.
Its popularity is declining amid the cost-of-living crisis
At his peak he was a domestic force, but his government has steadily slipped in the polls over the past year.
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“It’s time. They’re destroying the economy and food prices are rising,” said Esther Hedges from Cambridge on New Zealand’s north island.
“I don’t like them and I don’t know anyone,” the 65-year-old said.
Christina Sayer, 38, said Ardern was “the best prime minister we’ve had”.
“I like him and he cares about people. I’m sorry to see him go.
The stress on the job has been evident, with Ardern displaying a rare situation last month when she accidentally called an opposition politician an “arrogant prick”.
A new leader
New Zealand will choose its next prime minister in a general election on October 14, Ardern announced.
He said he would continue to serve as an electorate member of parliament until then.
He left a void at the top of the Labor party, with his deputy Grant Robertson quickly deciding to lean on the leadership.
Although recent polls show a centre-right coalition is likely to win the election, Ardern says that is not the reason she is stepping down.
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“I’m not leaving because I’m sure I can’t win the next election, but because I’m sure I can and will,” he said.
“I left because with a privileged job comes great responsibility. The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead – and also when you are not.
Ardern is the second prime minister in the world to give birth while in office, after Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan in 1990.
She said she wants to spend more time with her daughter Neve, who will start school this year, and eventually marry her partner, TV personality Clarke Gayford.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led international tributes to Ardern, saying she had “shown the world how to lead with reason and strength”.
“They show that empathy and insight are powerful leadership qualities,” Albanese said.
“Jacinda has been a fierce advocate for New Zealand, an inspiration to many and a good friend to me.”
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