New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently announced her sudden resignation, after which the Labor Party is looking for a new leader, who will remain prime minister until the October election. Here are four names in the running to replace Ardern.
Image Credit Source: AFP
new Zealand the prime minister of Jacinda Ardern after announcing the resignation of labor party Now the search for a new leader has begun. Ardern said she is no longer interested in leading. After Ardern’s announcement, this Sunday the Labor Party will elect a new leader who will remain prime minister until the next election. Ardern will step down as Prime Minister on February 7 and a general election will be held in New Zealand on October 14. In the meantime, let’s take a look at the potential leaders to replace Jacinda Ardern.
Chris Hipkins
Chris Hipkins was elected MP in 2008. All credit goes to Mr. Hipkins for managing the Corona epidemic in the country, the reason why the Labor Party gained power with a majority. In the first 6 months of 2021, New Zealand was declared Corona-free. He set up the world’s largest lockdown to stop the epidemic, sealing all the country’s borders in time.
However, after the separation of the Delta, the disease spread to New Zealand, which is why there were strong objections to closing it. The 44-year-old leader later said that the situation would not have escalated if the resettlement process had been put in place earlier. Later in mid-2022, he became the Minister of Police, when crime was at its peak in the country.
Hipkins has experience working in other ministries and has served as Minister of Education, Public Works and Speaker of the House. Parliament
Dear Allan
Kiri Allen is currently New Zealand’s Minister of Justice. If elected prime minister, 39-year-old Allen will be the first Maori leader. If the Labor Party nominates Allen, he will be the first transgender to become PM. Ellen is also in charge of disaster management, and has overcome stage 3 cervical cancer in 2021. Before being elected as an MP in 2017, Allen worked as a manager in the Department of Agriculture, playing a key role in the development of kiwi fruit. He has practiced commercial and public law in various parts of the country.
Nanaia Mahuta
Nanaiya Mahuta was the first woman to become Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Labor Party in 2020. She has been in politics for 26 years and comes from a tribal community. Mahuta, 52, is seen as New Zealand’s foreign minister, who has shown interest in America and China in the Asia-Pacific region. He had said, “This region is not in the hands of any powerful government.” Mahuta also worked in local governments and was instrumental in improving the country’s water supply system.
Michael Wood
Mitchell Wood was elected as an MP for the first time in 2016. Wood, who is 42 years old, has played a major role in the growth of the party after being elected as a member of the Labor Party. In the second term in 2020, Mitchell Wood was appointed as Minister of Transport Department and Workplace Safety.
This was the first time in 2020 that the party won with a majority of people. In mid-2022, Mitchell was reassigned to immigration in the expansion cabinet.
