Jacinda Ardern will stand down as New Zealand’s prime minister next month, calling for an election on October 14.
Ardern made the surprise announcement on Thursday, saying she had been unable to find the energy to continue as leader.
“This has been the most fulfilling five and a half years of my life,” Ardern said, according to the New Zealand Herald.
“I am not leaving because I believe we can’t win the election, but because I believe we can and will.”
She said the job as prime minister came with “the responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead — and also when you’re not”.
“I know what this job takes and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice,” she said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a tweet Ardern was a “friend” of his and “an inspiration to so many”.
“Jacinda Ardern has shown the world how to lead with intellect and strength,” Albanese wrote.
“She has demonstrated that empathy and insight are powerful leadership qualities [and] been a fierce advocate for New Zealand.”
Ardern, 42, the leader of the country’s Labour Party, has been prime minister since 2017 and has been an MP since 2008.
She became the world’s youngest female head of government when she was elected aged 37.
She has led the country through crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, and the deadly Whakaari volcano eruption.
She made the announcement alongside her family at the Labour Party’s summer caucus retreat.
Jacinda Ardern, like Ash Barty, doesn’t seem to be seduced by power for its own sake.
Great Germanic writer Elias Canetti in ‘The Human Province’ spoke about, paraphrasing, ‘the mark of a true leader is one who can ascend to a throne, then descend voluntarily’
A class act. One that’s going to be hard to follow. It’s rare when a leader doesn’t try to cling to power and even rarer that she hasn’t been corrupted by it
Intellect, compassion, care for the population, competent, collaborative……what a stark contrast with our self-obsessed imbecile brigade in Oz over the last decade or so. Ave, and well done, Ms. Ardern.
Netflix has a series called Live to Lead. I’ve only watch s couple of episodes so far, and one was an interview with Ardern. It was quite interesting – she showed some insights we don’t often hear leaders discuss.
Look, I agree with most of that. But in her 2017 platform, she made explicit promises on immigration and housing, then did the opposite. I don’t agree with that.
Covid made the immigration related matters impossible.
Ardern. Sincere.
As an ex-Kiwi, sorry to see her go. Can understand her thinking, but what a breath of fresh air she was in contrast to our LNP stooges here. Her handling of the massacres was outstanding.