New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she will resign and not seek re-election
Category: News & Politics
Via: perrie-halpern • last year • 63 commentsBy: Tim Stelloh and The Associated Press
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will step down by next month because she no longer has "enough in the tank" to do the job justice, she said.
"I'm leaving because with such a privileged role comes responsibility — to know when you're the right person to lead and also when you are not," said Ardern, who leads the country's Labour Party and won her first term 5½ years ago.
Ardern, 42, said Thursday afternoon local time (7 p.m. ET Wednesday) she would not seek re-election and planned to resign no later than Feb. 7.
"This has been the most fulfilling 5½ years of my life, but it has also had its challenges," she told reporters. "Amongst an agenda focused on housing, child poverty and climate change, we encountered a major biosecurity incursion, a domestic terror event, a major natural disaster, a global pandemic and an economic crisis.
"The decisions that have had to be made have been continual, and they have been weighty," she said.
The party has seven days to determine whether a new leader has more than two-thirds of caucus support, she said. A vote will occur Sunday.
If a new leader is selected, Ardern said, she will resign soon after and a new prime minister will be sworn in. If not, the vote will go to the wider party membership, she said.
"This has been the most fulfilling 5½ years of my life, but it has also had its challenges," New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.Mark Mitchell / Pool via Getty Images file
Ardern said she plans to remain in Parliament in order to avoid a by-election.
"Beyond that I have no plan, no next steps," she said. "All I know is whatever I do I will try to find ways to keep working for New Zealand."
Ardern had faced a tough election campaign this year. Her liberal Labour Party won re-election two years ago in a landslide of historic proportions, but recent polls have put her party behind its conservative rivals.
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 its zero-tolerance strategy was abandoned once it was challenged by new variants and vaccines became available.
She faced tougher criticism at home that the strategy was too strict, and many of Ardern's right-wing critics cheered her resignation announcement.
Ardern announced last month that a Royal Commission of Inquiry would look into whether the government made the right decisions in battling Covid-19 and how it can better prepare for future pandemics. Its report is due next year.
Tim Stelloh
Tim Stelloh is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
The Associated Press
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Ahhh the incarnation of "The Peter Principle".
New Zealand's young Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern's 2021 net worth grew by more than 3100% to $25,000,000.00
So what?
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Comments about another member or their behavior are, by definition, "off topic & no value".
Since you believe ( incorrectly ) that you the seeder can say just anything "and be on topic",
I will adjust and change the ticket to taunting.
You are welcome
No, it is not.
What this has to do with an article on Ms.Arden escapes me.
Me as well
Derangement syndromes morph almost as quickly as a Covid virus ... Clinton D.S. morphed into Bush D.S. which morphed into Obama D.S. which in turn morphed into Trump D.S. and now it's morphing into Biden D.S.. It's a fucking soap opera.
I was referring to the deflections, not syndromes.
They're dancing partners.
And she chose not to take the next dance.
More power to strong, powerful women…knowing when to step off, knowing when their time is done, knowing what is best for themselves and thus her constituents.
Congrats for time well served. Hers is an example all can learn from.
She also gave birth in 2018 and anyone who has had a child in the 4-5 year old range knows they can be a handful. This action also release her husband to do what he does.
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It is about Jacinda Ardern. Some choose to deflect rather than discuss the topic of the article.
Most of the thread removed for being off topic and / or meta.
At least you provided a link, folks including you should read it and not take your comment at face value.
How so? Your article state that the source of that figure is a tweet.
Your own "culture" link states that she's been in politics since 2008, Prime Minister since 2017
and has written several books. The article concludes that her net worth is between 5 and 10 million.
Remember, the charming Megyn Kelly got a 10million dollar book deal in 2016 and she was just a journalist with a law degree.
Morning Vic...and???
Prey tell how many poor ex US presidents are running around over there?
Probably Zero. Jimmy Carter probably cashed in the least, Clinton or Obama the most.
Not forgetting grumpy Trumpy...
Reports are trumps net worth dropped by 700 million while president. But I’m sure he will figure someway to cash in, they all do.
Yep pig trough pollies have always got their snouts in...
Doesn't seem to be true...
Sigh….not worth the effort.
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That's too bad. A smart and wonderful and capable woman leaving the position. I hope they're able to find someone similar.
How dare she!
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See 3.1.1
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See 2.2.14.
Also, remember?
Jacinda Ardern has had her fair share of controversy in New Zealand as a self described progressive liberal Labour Party member in the spectrum of politics in New Zealand. I have friends in New Zealand who believe she got too high up too fast.
She enacted what some might consider a hash covid policy
A sane and sensible policy.
Do you consider her to be non-political?
One does not get elected/appointed to be prime minister of any country without being highly political.
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removed for context
That's too bad. A smart and wonderful and capable woman leaving the position. I hope they're able to find someone similar.
Of course this would have nothing to do with political issues such as her losing popular support and the failing support for the Labour party...
She may be smart enough to realize that as the current leader she's the lightening rod and by her resigning now gives her Labour party on opportunity to bring up someone new who might energize the polls and allow the Lobour Party to remain in control.
Might be nice to hear the opinion from someone who actually lives in NZ on this.
Morning snuffles...like many countries NZ has its economic, racial and political woes...
And unfortunately there are no up and coming stars over there as it is here..I was talking to my Kiwi friends and they said the same...who do you pick out of that motley mob of replacements..
Ardern is a decent and caring leader, has her countries interests at heart and I think one of the few PM's that has left a decent mark on NZ political history..
We have our dust ups with the Kiwis but at the end of the day they are not to bad of a mob across the ditch....
Thanks Shona. Yeah, in reading about the decline in popularity I thought it might be a case of her realizing she just can't help keep her party in the lead so she is dropping out to give them a chance to find a better candidate who would be more popular. No up and coming stars, that's a common issue all over.
Of course, that's what you might think.
Rather than be snide you want to explain what you mean.
Rather than a decent woman doing what's best for those she represents
Not sure why this is a story since the UK, Isreal, and Italy have had more new governments/PMs in the same time period. In fact, I saw that Italy has had a new government on average every 13 months since the end of WWII.