New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern Resigns

SANDY HOSIER: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the world’s most popular leader outside of New Zealand, announced her shock resignation, stepping down from the position she’s held since 2017 when, at just 37, she became a global icon of progressive politics and the youngest Kiwi leader in 150 years. Ardern declared she ‘didn’t have enough left in the tank’ to seek re-election in an emotional farewell speech, breaking the hearts of fans around the world, but not necessarily at home, where continuous protests and a 29% approval rating suggested she might’ve been facing a landslide election loss for some reason. Christina Soleitch looks into the global phenomenon of  ‘Jacindamania’, and what that actually looked like in the land of the long, white cloud. 

CHRISTINEA SOLEITCH: Few New Zealders have received the praise and accolades bestowed upon outgoing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, aside from Xena Warrior Princess and that guy who climbed up that mountain. While her constantly self-proclaimed kindness, empathy and feminine style was quickly embraced by megalomaniacs world-wide, Ardern was viewed as the real deal, becoming just the second birthing person to give birth to another birthing person while in office, and actually attending moments of crisis in her country, unlike other leaders who adopted more leisurely approach. Leaders of the calibre of Jacida Ardern do not arrive by accident. She was an alumni of the World Economic Forum’s ‘Young Global Leaders’, groomed by the unlimited power and oney of Klaus Schwab, as he has done with other leaders around the world VID: Klaus Schwab

And boy did she fit in. Her celebrity became so high-profile in countries other than New Zealand, it became known as ‘Jacindamania’, spawning countless honours, awards, books, songs and paintings, as well as some rather convincing deep fakes. 

Her crowning achievement would be her Covid-zero elimination strategy that stopped the contagious virus for months at a time through the simple decision to cut the island nation off from the outside world, even locking its own citizens out of the country indefinitely if they were overseas. Never afraid of a tough decision, she once locked the country down for a single case that was discovered, causing a wild rush on supermarkets from citizens desperate not to acquire the virus that has since been acquired by almost everyone. But as a God-like supermum, her daily updates became akin to religious sermons, as did her assurances to her people.   

But back home, Kiwis were often less enthusiastic about the God-like supermum that was portrayed outside the country, a 29% approval rating and constant protesting a recurring feature caused by her government’s failure to deliver on election promises, address falling standards of living, and avoid an obvious cost of living crisis and looming recession. New Socialists Mable & Dorothy Canckle discussed some of the issues.

Dot: What are the kiwis complaining about exactly Mable?

Mable:Well they reckon Jacida never built the 100,000 affordable homes she promised to address the housing crisis… 

Dot: Aw, that’s not true! She built 1400 in only 5 years! IT takes time to do these things?

Mable: You’re right Dot, it’s a miracle she’s build the ones she has, with that slight frame of hers?

Dot: There’s nothing of her Mable…

Mable: I reckon shes cutting back on food to leave more for the migrants to eat when they come over…

Dot: Didn’t Jacinda promise to cut immigration?

Mable: Yeah, but you need people to live in all the houses she’s gonna build, you see? 

Dot: If they can afford it? I heard rent’s gone up by 85%

Mable: Well, Jacida’s promised to reform the economy…

Dot: She did Mable…IT gone up 85% since then

Mable: Oh! Well you can’t get everything right, can you? 

Dot: At least children don’t pay rent? That should help her promise to address record high child poverty rates over there. 

Mable: I hope so – Has it gone down yet? 

Dot: Not yet

Mable: And how about the cost of living and inflation? 

Dot: Well they’re still up… She probably shouldn’t have promised to bring those down?

Mable: and the guns? 

Dot: Oh they’re in the boot of the Torana

Mable:: Not our guns! The guns in New Zealand!

Dot: Oh right, well, after the Christchurch shooting, she spent $150million on a gun amnesty, but most people reckon about 2/3 of the banned guns are still on the street. 

Silence:

Mable: Well at least she’s promoted diversity and inclusion a lot?

Dot: YES – She HAS done that. I suppose those protesting clowns didn’t notice that. 

Mable: Well, you can’t get everything right, can you?

SOLEITCH: So while there’ll always be a few nutjobs who can’t get INNformation with the rest of us, history will show that New Zealand was lucky to have been blessed with a leader like Jacinda Ardern, especially after the release of her new book, the aptly titled I Know This to Be True, which focuses on her passion for calling out misinformation wherever she thinks she sees it, including in anyone who disapproves of her time in power. Christina Solitch, INN News

SANDY: Ardern joins a growing list of recent political resignations including the Prime ministers of the UK, Slovakia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Lebanon, India, Estonia, The Netherlands, Austria and Japan, as well as public health ministers, officials and state leaders in, geez, uh well, most places actually…