Jacinda Ardern, PM of New Zealand, announces to resign by Feb 7

Jacinda Ardern has surprisingly announced that she would resign from the post of Prime Minister and party leader in the next month.

“Jacinda Ardern says she will not be seeking re-election this year and her last day as prime minister is 7 February”, according to RNZ.  It further writes Ardern was visibly upset and tearful as she made the announcement. She will stay on as an electorate MP until the end of April to spare the country a by-election.

Ardern was elected as PM for the first time in 2017. She is currently serving her second term. She became PM for the second time in 2020 with the landslide victory of the Labour Party in the general election.

She was marked internationally with her prompt and empathic handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she is facing criticism within the country with the deepening economic crisis.

The general election would be held on October 14 and making her announcement to step down, she said “The early announcement will allow for planning and preparation by government agencies and political parties”, writes CNN.

She said that she chose to resign because she doesn’t have enough energy left to commence the responsibilities as leading a country is not only the most privileged job but also the most challenging.

“You cannot and should not do it unless you have a full tank, plus a bit in reserve for those unexpected challenges”. “I know what this job takes, and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice, but I absolutely believe and know there are others around me who do”, Ardern said as quoted in US media.