‘Jacindamania’ could trigger a shock election upset for New Zealand

“A pretty little thing”, “New Zealand’s Justin Trudeau who’s more like Trump on immigration”, “Stardust”, “Pretty stupid” … the woman at the centre of an Antipodean political frenzy has heard it all.

One thing Jacinda Ardern, 37, had not heard until recently was that she could be New Zealand’s next prime minister.

The country of 4.6 million people has been under the governance of the centre-right National Party since Sir John Key took up the reigns in 2008 from Helen Clark, the former Labour prime minister. National, under the leadership of Bill English after Mr Key’s shock resignation late last year, was cruising to re-election – until Labour played its wild card.

Seven weeks before the general election, Labour leader Andrew Little fell on his sword after weeks of declining popularity, and Ms Ardern – who had become deputy only five months before – was handed leadership of a party in disarray. It was lagging well behind in the polls at 24 per cent, an all-time low.

As it turns out, six weeks can change everything.

Mass hysteria ensued. Several names have even been coined for the fandom: Jacindaphoria, the Jacinda effect, or Jacindamania.

In Labour’s youngest leader yet, many New Zealanders believe the centre-left has found its saviour. She has also been quick to position herself as the “people’s prime minister”, promising a campaign relying on “unrelenting positivity”.

Some have been quick to focus on other attributes. The day after she took over as Labour leader, she clashed with a TV show host after he asked her about her baby plans. Most recently, Mr English labelled her “stardust”.

But the public, and her TV presenter partner, have been quick to rally around her. Even former prime minister Ms Clark, who has just returned home after a stint serving as UN Development Programme administrator, has gone in to bat for her.

By the end of last month, Labour had overtaken National in the polls for the first time in a decade. Now, with three days to go, the election is anyone’s game.

The resurgence came as the Opportunities Party leader, Gareth Morgan – who has called for the eradication of domestic cats – said of Labour’s surge in the polls that voters “cannot be this thick”.

Ms Ardern has yet to respond. But then again, she’s heard it all before.