Jacinda Ardern is resigning!

[MrsMarkRonson]

Didn't see that coming?! I know her popularity has dipped somewhat, but I didn't think she'd leave before the election? wondering if she was being pushed out?

I just saw this. 'Not enough left in the tank'.

Wow I haven't seen any indications of this either!

Yeah I'm in NZ and shes fallen somewhat in the polls in the last year, there is a chance National will win this years election.
John Key did do the same thing a few years ago, but his popularity hadn't waned though.

I thought she would resign before the next election, no matter what you think about her politics, she has had a pretty tough ride over her leadership. The next election will be very interesting.

I suspect that two terms has been enough and there have been some terrible unfounded accusations made towards Jacinda and her partner. Her popularity has dipped, although many people I know, myself included, support her. I think she is wise to resign at this point - it allows a new leader to make a mark before the election and allows her to bow out gracefully. I'll be sad to see her go though.

Wondering who will replace her? DS12 thinks Chris Hipkins but don't think it'll be him.
I think JA will go overseas - she's still pretty popular in a lot of countries.

Wasn’t she meant to be very good? Can we have her as prime minister here in the UK please?!?

@MrsMarkRonson

sad indeed

She has done a phenomenal job, i she’s a little tear. Amazing woman

It is a great shame.
Politics is particularly hard on women.

She is amazing. She has saved tens of thousands of lives in NZ.

She said she is looking forward to taking her little girl to school when she starts, which has set me off.

@asblindasabat I wouldn't be surprised if she does head over to UK.
Theres been a number of things that have made her popularity slump - as well as the vaccine mandates and protests earlier this year, there is still issues of not being tough enough on gangs, 3 waters, house prices being way too high etc.
But she has still done a lot of good stuff and I support her.

Wow! Didn’t see that coming. Must have a better job elsewhere coming. I’m on the fence about Jacinda. She may be a victim of the global financial crisis in terms of her popularity (though I don’t think that’s just it) but I am honestly surprised she wouldn’t front up to another election and would dump the party in a difficult position with an election round the corner.

I am in NZ.
There is no way on earth Labour will win the general election in October; that has been clear for about a year. The country is in an almighty mess, only partly because of cost of living increases/high inflation (which, I realise, is not isolated to NZ). The government has simply not been able to deliver on any of its commitments and is shoving through shonky policies without the support of citizens. The "be kind" branding does not translate into support for day-to-day living for most kiwis. Youth crime is out of control. Race relations are appalling, largely because of divisive Labour policies. There is a housing crisis ... I could go on.
No one in my personal and professional circles believed JA would last until the next election - we thought she would take off for a job on the international stage, such as the UN, rather than be at the helm of a defeat this year. We didn't see the resignation coming this soon, though.
But I admire her for taking control now and her honesty in saying she has nothing left to give; her tank is dry. She has dealt with more national disasters in five years than bears thinking about. She has also been the victim of incredible misogynistic abuse that would never be targeted at male MPs or PMs.
This former-Labour supporter wishes her all the best for a more quiet private future. (It won't be too private; she'll get some international post that requires excellent communication skills and loads of empathy, though not the ability to see that promises are enacted.)

She divided the country and it’s people. Nz has a huge amount of lawlessness, cost of living has gone through the roof.

it was rumoured months ago she would resign leading up to an election.

just surprised that grant R isn’t putting his hand up.

Was she expecting a big defeat?

I see NZ and Australia (and Canada) as being guilty of some of the worst things in lockdown terms but the same applies to European countries. I no longer follow news so don't know what other issues will have affected her, but there's tons of other stuff she can do - she may have been offered something already.

She did well. She did her best. I admire her and commend her for stepping down when she knew she had nothing left to give as a leader. I wish more politicians would show her level of Self awareness.

I wish her and her family all the best.💞

I can understand why at some level, it was incredibly likely she would lose the election, and it must be enormously difficult to make yourself endure the hardship of campaigning, especially when you have a young child - but what a cop out. She leaves the country in possibly the worst state it has ever been and just walks away.

You think she should have campaigned for re-election and then resigned @Cantgetyououtofmyheadboy?

I think she did an exceptional job under hugely difficult circumstances. She's been in the job five years, and most Prime Ministers don't go past six (two terms), or nine at the most. Those particular five years she's done must be the political version of dog years - more like a 25-year term!

It's a bit of a shame because although it's true that some of her party's promises haven't been delivered on - for example housing delivery - the pandemic has been a huge factor in delaying that. There will be a massive increase in the housing stock as projects complete in the next year or two, so the next government will be able to claim to have 'delivered' that, even though most of the work was put in place by her government.

She's not responsible for the recession, it's a global issue, and I don't agree that NZ has become wildly lawless in the last five years. NZ has had an infrastructure debt building up as an issue for decades. One government won't solve it, not hers, not the next one and not the one after that either. The world as a whole is facing massive challenges.

I think she has given it her all, faced absolutely vile criticism and deserves a good long lie-down with a cup of tea.

NZ has never been as divided and never has the wedge been driven as she has massaged.

divisive as hell

wevdont need her in the U.K. that's for sure, we can create enough if our own issues thanks

I think she should have shown had a bigger commitment to the country that she has led into such such a perilous state @TooBigForMyBoots (while acknowledging at a personal level that would be incredibly challenging).

I'm in NZ. Gutted to hear that she's standing down, and so soon, and I have no idea who might be suitable to replace her. Can't think of anyone competent enough. So much of the opposition is supercilious and smug.
She's lead the country through some really tough times. Will be interesting to see if she goes overseas (lucky them) but will she want to drag her almost-husband & daughter with her, or will they want a Kiwi upbringing for Neve?

Yeah if you are the leader of a party in government, months from an election, where the votes for that party in that forthcoming election will of course be based to a very great degree on your performance as prime minister, then yes of course you should have the balls to stick it out to the conclusion. Not say whoops guys this doesn’t seem to be going my way now, I’ve had enough catch you later! You guys all spend a couple of months trying to find a new leader, who will have to answer for my record in government despite not being responsible for it, and best of luck trying to win (you won’t win). For goodness sake, what kind of leader does that.