It’s not everyday that a Prime Minister resigns for genuine reasons, instead of being forced out of office, but this month New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern changed this.
After her party dipped in votes, Ardern confronted the country, making a speech that will go down in history. In her conference speech, she stated, “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….I’m human, politicians are human. We can give all that we can for as long as we can. And then it’s time. And for me, it’s time.”.
Elected 5 ½ years ago in 2017, Ardern became the world’s youngest female head of government, leading the country through national disasters including natural disasters, the pandemic, economic crisis’ and the fear of climate change. Not only did Jacinda effectively deal with these issues, but she also had a baby while in office, meaning she also had to balance her family relationships too. This pushed her further into the spotlight and highlights her accolades and accomplishments as a strong, feminist leader.
Whilst Jacinda chose to step down, knowing what was right for both herself and her country, many world leaders and politicians are continuing through a time of ruin to maintain the power, only leaving when they are not backed by their cabinet. For example, Liz Truss faced uproar and backlash over uncertainty after introducing new UK laws and ideas which consequently forced her out of power due to a lack of support from her colleagues.
World leaders should take a leaf out of Ardern’s book, and abdicate at the right time, instead of holding onto power for as long as possible. This brave and remarkable move from her has left everyone viewing her in only a possible light, leaving no bitter remarks or spiteful comments towards her. She truly has succeeded in her idea that “you can be your own kind of leader - one who knows when it’s time to go”.
By Grace Wells
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