Jacinda Ardern
Depuis son élection en 2017, la première ministre néo-zélandaise fait des vagues, au point d'avoir provoqué autour d'elle une véritable « Jacindamania » : un engouement mondial pour ses politiques progressistes, écologiques et humaines. Retour sur les temps forts d'une dirigeante dont l'aura rejaillit sur un pays souvent ignoré à l’échelle politique mondiale...
The “Anti-Trump” ?
Jacinda Ardern became the Prime Minister of New Zealand in 2017, at only 37 years old. A self-described “progressive” politician, Ardern has attracted international attention thanks to her bold stance on issues, and has regularly been called the “Anti-Trump”. self-described autoproclamé / bold audacieux, courageux / stance (prise de) position / issue problème.
Politics “with a bit of heart”
In 2019, Ardern decided to prioritise ‘‘well-being growth” instead of economic growth: she devised a funding programme aimed at improving mental health, reducing poverty and mapping a low-carbon future. Critics have worried that this programme will set the country back financially and may have limited results. However, it goes along well with Ardern’s concept of politics, which openly favours empathy and, in her own words, “a bit of heart”. well-being bien-être / to devise mettre au point, concevoir, imaginer / funding (de) financement / to aim at viser/être destiné à / to map dresser la carte de; ici, planifier / low-carbon à faibles émissions de carbone / critic détracteur, opposant / to worry ici, craindre / to set, set, set back retarder / to go, went, gone along well with être en adéquation avec / to favour privilégier, prôner.
Working Mother
Jacinda Ardern is the second sitting world leader in modern times to have given birth while in office. Her status as a young mother has sparked conversations on the role society gives to working mothers and gender imbalance in childcare. Ardern was the first politician to attend a United Nations assembly with a baby – her three month old daughter, Neve, who she was still breastfeeding. sitting en exercice / leader dirigeant / in office au pouvoir / to spark déclencher, donner lieu à / gender imbalance manque de parité / childcare garde, prise en charge des enfants / to attend assister à / to breastfeed, breastfed, breastfed nourrir au sein, allaiter.
“New Zealand’s 9/11”
On 15 March 2019, a terrorist took the lives of 50 Muslims who were quietly praying in a mosque, in the small city of Christchurch. Ardern’s response was different than other leaders’: instead of swearing revenge and waging war against radicalism, she encouraged kindness towards the victims. She refused to ever mention the name of the terrorist and refused to denounce Islamophobia as the source of the issue : “speak the names of those who were lost rather than the name of the man who took them”. Muslim musulman / quietly calmement, discrètement / to pray prier / to swear, swore, sworn revenge jurer vengeance / to wage war faire la guerre / kindness gentillesse.
A strong approach to Covid-19
New Zealand had only 108 cases of coronavirus when Ardern announced lockdown – a decision which seemed harsh at the time and took place earlier than in most countries. When the health minister breached the lockdown rules, Ardern immediately dismissed him: “I expect better, and so does New Zealand”. This strong approach paid off as the country recorded only 22 deaths among its 4.9 millions inhabitants and Ardern was praised for her quick response. lockdown confinement / harsh dur, sévère / to breach enfreindre / to dismiss renvoyer, congédier / to expect attendre (de qqn) / to pay, paid, paid off être payant, porter ses fruits / to record enregistrer / to praise applaudir (fig.) / response réaction.
Calm in the eye of the storm
On 25 May, an earthquake hit New Zealand while Ardern was speaking to journalists on television. The PM quietly interrupted the interview with a calm: “We’re having a bit of an earthquake here” and proceeded to wait for the earthquake to end. A good example of her capacity to remain calm under pressure! in the eye of the storm dans l’oeil du cyclone / earthquake tremblement de terre / to hit, hit, hit frapper, toucher / PM = Prime Minister / a bit of un peu comme / to proceed poursuivre / to remain rester, demeurer / under pressure sous pression.
Too popular ?
Journalists from international newspapers are often praising Jacinda Ardern, calling her “the most effective leader in the world” (The Atlantic), “Saint Jacinda” (The Financial Times) or evoking the phenomenon of “Jacindamania”. Critics have warned against the risk of a blind admiration which could prevent both leaders and voters from criticising her politics. to warn avertir, mettre en garde / blind aveugle / to prevent empêcher / voter électeur.