Jacinda Ardern, whose leadership in New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic was an inspiration for many around the world, abruptly resigned this evening.
For her part, Ardern told her fellow Labour Party caucus members that she "no longer had enough in the tank" to carry on. She will leave office no later than February 7th and not seek re-election later this year.
Ardern was first elected to New Zealand's Parliament in 2008 at the age of 28. In 2017, she became Labour Party leader and later that year scored an upset victory during general election when both the Green Party and the right-wing New Zealand Party decided to support her as Prime Minister despite Labour winning fewer seats than the conservative National Party. At 37, Ardern became the youngest ever female head of government. This feat has since been supplanted by Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
In her first term in office, Ardern won wide praise for enacting strict gun laws after the Christchurch Mosque shootings. She won even wider praise for her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and in October 2020 astonishingly won a majority government in a proportional representation system.
Ardern's popularity was waned in recent months as her zero COVID strategy was no match for Delta and Omicron. Consequently, Labour has fallen behind the National Party in polling. Nevertheless, Ardern stepping down as Prime Minister and retiring from parliament was not on anyone's radar.
Her resignation does give the National Party a gift as Labour now has the tall task of replacing Ardern with no obvious successor.
Whatever Ardern's recent setbacks, New Zealand has recorded fewer than 2,500 COVID deaths with a mortality rate of 0.1% with a vaccination rate of nearly 90%.
I think in time that New Zealanders will once again look upon Ardern's leadership with respect and admiration. As it stands, I'm sorry to see her go.
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