New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, has announced that she will resign from her position next month. In a shocking announcement, Ardern said her last day in office will be February 7.

I am not leaving because it was hard. Had that been the case I probably would have departed two months into the job. I am leaving because with such a privileged role, comes responsibility, the responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not

The Labour Caucus will vote for a new leader in three days’ time on January 22. This is on the condition that a candidate holds more than two-thirds of support within the caucus to become the new leader. And ultimately, new prime minister. But if no one meets the requirements, the leadership battle will go to the wider Labour membership.

Ardern’s announcement also comes at a time when the Labour Party is set to face a tough election campaign this year. But Ardern dispelled speculations, saying that she was no resigning because the party would lose – but because she thought it would win the election.

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‘A Fresh Set of Shoulders’

Ardern gained global popularity with her initial election becoming the youngest female head of government in the world in 2017, aged 37. And a year later, she became the second elected world leader to ever give birth while in office.

During her tenure she was lauded for New Zealand’s initial efforts to stop the Covid-19 virus at its borders. She was also greatly praised for embracing the country’s Muslim community during a white supremacist attack in 2019. The incident saw 51 people killed at two mosques in the city of Christchurch.

It’s one thing to lead your country through peace time, it’s another to lead them through crisis. These events…have been taxing because of the weight, the sheer weight and continual nature of them. There’s never really been a moment where it’s ever felt like we were just governing

But over the past year, Ardern faced a significant increase in threat – particularly from anti-vaccine and conspiracy theorist groups upset by New Zealand’a vaccine mandates and Covid-19 lockdowns. But she did, however, say that the increased risk associated with the job were not the reasons for her stepping down.

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Ardern said she had taken time to reflect on whether she had the energy to continue in the role – concluding, she did not. “We need a fresh set of shoulders for that challenge,” she said.

I am human, politicians are human. We give all that we can for as long as we can. And then it’s time. And for me, it’s time.

But as inflation began to rise to nearly three-decade highs, Ardern’s popularity began to wane. The central bank aggressively increased the cash rate within the past year.

Ardern Looks to Family Future

During her announcement, Ardern said she hoped to be remembered “as someone who always tried to be kind“.

I hope I leave New Zealanders with a belief that you can be kind, but strong, empathetic but decisive, optimistic but focused. And that you can be your own kind of leader – one who knows when it’s time to go

She thanked her partner, Clarke Gayford, and her daughter, Neve, for their sacrifices whilst she held office. She called them the “ones that have sacrificed the most out of all of us”.

To Neve: mum is looking forward to being there when you start school this year. And to Clarke – let’s finally get married

New Zealand’s next general election is expected be held on October 14.

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