“I know what this job takes, and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It is that simple,” she said.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who became a global icon of the left and exemplified a new style of leadership, said Thursday that she would leave office.
She notched up center-left victories while right-wing populism was on the rise globally, pushing pushed through a bill targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, overseeing a ban on assault weapons, and largely keeping the coronavirus out of New Zealand for 18 months. After the mosque shootings, Ardern moved within weeks to pass new laws banning the deadliest types of semi-automatic weapons. A subsequent buyback scheme run by police saw more than 50,000 guns, including many AR-15-style rifles, destroyed.
Ardern last month announced a wide-ranging Royal Commission of Inquiry would look into whether the government made the right decisions in battling COVID-19 and how it could better prepare for future pandemics. A report is due next year.“Her treatment, the pile on, in the last few months has been disgraceful and embarrassing,” wrote actor Sam Neill on Twitter. “All the bullies, the misogynists, the aggrieved. She deserved so much better. A great leader.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Ardern “has shown the world how to lead with intellect and strength.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern to resign before upcoming election | CNNNew Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Thursday she will stand down as leader, saying she doesn't believe she has the energy to seek re-election in the October polls.
Read more »
New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern to quit as PM next monthBREAKING: New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern says she will not seek reelection and plans to stand down no later than early February
Read more »
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she will step down: 'It's time'New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced in an emotional press briefing that she will step down, saying 'it's time.'
Read more »