Jacinda Ardern to stand down as New Zealand prime minister

Jacinda Ardern will stand down as New Zealand’s prime minister next month, calling for an election on October 14. 

Ardern made the surprise announcement on Thursday, saying she had been unable to find the energy to continue as leader. 

“This has been the most fulfilling five and a half years of my life,” Ardern said, according to the New Zealand Herald. 

“I am not leaving because I believe we can’t win the election, but because I believe we can and will.”

She said the job as prime minister came with “the responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead — and also when you’re not”.

“I know what this job takes and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice,” she said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a tweet Ardern was a “friend” of his and “an inspiration to so many”.

“Jacinda Ardern has shown the world how to lead with intellect and strength,” Albanese wrote.

“She has demonstrated that empathy and insight are powerful leadership qualities [and] been a fierce advocate for New Zealand.”

Ardern, 42, the leader of the country’s Labour Party, has been prime minister since 2017 and has been an MP since 2008. 

She became the world’s youngest female head of government when she was elected aged 37. 

She has led the country through crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, and the deadly Whakaari volcano eruption. 

She made the announcement alongside her family at the Labour Party’s summer caucus retreat.