Ardern back to work after just six weeks of maternity leave
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern returned to work just six weeks after delivering her first child, having become the first premier in the nation’s history to take maternity leave while in office.
The 38-year-old premier’s pregnancy enthralled the New Zealand public and was seen by many as a symbol of progress for women in leadership roles as she became only the second elected leader, after Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto in 1990, to have given birth in office.
New Zealand’s parliament has worked to become more babyfriendly in recent months and Ardern’s daughter will be allowed to cuddle with her mother during debates and swim in the pool alongside other legislators’ children.
Ardern’s stratospheric rise to become the country’s youngest prime minister and third woman to hold the office resulted in New Zealanders coining the phrase “Jacinda-mania” and her personal approval ratings have been at historic highs.
She emerged as leader of the then-struggling Labour Party a year ago, just weeks before a general election that ended almost a decade of centre-right National Party rule.
While she was on maternity leave the coalition government was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who will attend a South-East Asian summit in Singapore this week.
Ardern will leave her home town of Auckland to return to the capital, Wellington, tomorrow.
Her partner, Clarke Gayford, will care for the baby full-time while she takes her place in parliament on Monday.