Jacinda Ardern Announces Stepping Down as New Zealand Prime Minister After Historic Tenure

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Thursday that she will be stepping down from her position within the next few weeks. Speaking at a news conference, Ardern said that she no longer has the energy to continue in the demanding job and that she would be doing a disservice to New Zealand if she continued.

“I believe that leading a country is the most privileged job anyone could ever have but also one of the more challenging,” Ardern said during the announcement, according to New Zealand public broadcaster RNZ. “I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice.”

Ardern, who made history in 2017 when she became the world’s youngest female head of government at age 37, said she expects a new Labour prime minister to be sworn in by February 7, though the process could be earlier. She added that the decision to stand aside was her own.

The news of Ardern’s departure comes as New Zealand prepares for the October polls. Ardern said she took time to consider whether she should seek re-election at the end of 2022, but ultimately decided that she did not have the energy for the job.

Ardern’s departure will mark the end of a historic tenure as the first female Prime Minister of New Zealand. During her time in office, Ardern has been praised for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and her commitment to social justice.