Jacinda Ardern speaks of ‘sense of relief’ after quitting: ‘I slept well for the first time in a long time’

Ardern says she wants to leave with message ‘that you can be your own kind of leader, one who knows when it’s time to go’

Jacinda Ardern has said she has “no regrets” a day after announcing she would be stepping down as the prime minister of New Zealand.

Speaking to reporters at the airport in Napier where the Labour Party’s annual caucus took place, the prime minister said that she “slept well for the first time in a long time” after announcing that she was too tired to seek a third term in office.

A day after the announcement that shocked New Zealanders and the world alike, the liberal icon said that she was feeling a range of emotions – from sadness to a “sense of relief”.