Jacinda Ardern resigns: What led the New Zealand prime minister to quit

‘Leading a country is the most privileged job... you cannot, and should not do it unless you have a full tank’

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stunned the world by announcing her resignation on Thursday and said that she won’t be seeking re-election later this year.

In a tearful and emotional speech, she announced that she will step down as prime minister on 7 February. Ms Ardern will, however, continue as member of parliament till October when elections are due.

The 42-year-old said during the party’s annual caucus meeting that she “no longer had enough in the tank” to do the job. “It’s time.”

Her sudden resignation surprised her party members, New Zealanders and the world. Several world leaders paid tributes to Ms Ardern on Thursday with Australia’s Anthony Albanese congratulating her for her leadership qualities. “Jacinda Ardern has shown the world how to lead with intellect and strength,” he wrote on his Twitter.

Ms Ardern clearly explained in her speech why she was resigning from her role as the prime minister of New Zealand.

“I believe that leading a country is the most privileged job anyone could ever have, but also one of the more challenging. You cannot, and should not do it unless you have a full tank, plus, a bit in reserve for those unexpected challenges,” she said.

“I’m 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. I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It’s that simple,” she continued.

Ms Ardern became the world’s youngest female head of government when she was elected prime minister in 2017 at age 37. She steered New Zealand through many challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the Christchurch mosque attacks, and the White Island volcanic eruption.

She said she had taken time to think about her future over the summer break and concluded that it was time for her to move on.

“I have given my absolute all to being prime minister but it has also taken a lot out of me.” She added: “Having reflected over the summer, I know I no longer have that bit extra in the tank to do the job justice.”

She choked back tears and said that it would have been a disservice to New Zealanders if she continued in the job. “I’m a politician who is first and foremost human.”

Ms Ardern said she “needed to let someone else take on this job” and believed the party would win the upcoming election.

New Zealand’s Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said that Ms Ardern was “driven from politics” because of “constant personalisation and vilification” in what she called the most “demeaning form of politics we have ever seen”.

Ms Ngarewa-Packer said: “Te Pāti Māori [Māori Party] wishes to thank the outstanding contribution Jacinda Ardern has made to our country.”

“We will remember Jacinda Ardern for catapulting the voice of wāhine [women] and youth onto the world stage. Her fearlessness, courage and determination broke glass ceilings,” co-leader Rawiri Waititi was quoted as saying by the New Zealand Herald.

Act leader David Seymour said: “Jacinda Ardern is a well-meaning person, but her idealism collided hard with reality. We wish her and her family well for their future. Ardern’s collision with reality has left this country with big problems: the economy, the lawlessness, the Treaty. New Zealand needs a new government of real change and Act will be providing the ideas and the backbone to make the change real.”

Ms Ardern told the caucus that she didn’t have any plans. “I have no plan. No next steps. All I know is that whatever I do, I will try and find ways to keep working for New Zealand and that I am looking forward to spending time with my family again – arguably, they are the ones that have sacrificed the most out of all of us.”

She continued: “And so to Neve, Mum is looking forward to being there when you start school this year. And to Clarke, let’s finally get married.”

Meanwhile, a Christchurch Islamic leader who survived the 15 March 2019 mosque shootings thanked Ms Ardern for leading the country “at the wrong time in history”.

Imam Gamal Fouda of Masjid Al-Noor, who survived the terror attack at his Deans Ave mosque where 44 worshippers were shot dead during Friday prayers, said her resignation “shocked me”.

“We lost one of New Zealand’s best leaders in history. Jacinda Ardern, I wish you all the best. You led our country at the wrong time in history.”