Woman, nation’s youngest ever to lead government
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Jacinda Ardern will be New Zealand’s next prime minister and hopes to take the country on a more liberal path following nine years of rule by the conservatives.
The outcome of a national election nearly a month ago became clear only Thursday after the small New Zealand First party decided to back Ardern’s liberal Labor Party.
Ardern, 37, will be the nation’s youngest leader in more than 150 years. She has been compared to other young, charismatic leaders such as President Emmanuel Macron in France and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Canada.
Ardern wants to curb immigration, ban foreign speculators from buying homes and build thousands more affordable houses. She also wants to spend more money on health care and education, and clean up polluted waterways.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said his party’s choice was either “a modified status quo” with the incumbent conservatives or an option for change.
The liberal Green Party will support the coalition but won’t be a part of the government’s policy-setting Cabinet. The Green Party ratified the deal late Thursday.
Ardern said she wanted to lead a government that looked after the environment and the country’s most vulnerable people.
Outgoing Prime Minister Bill English said he was naturally disappointed but felt he’d left New Zealand in good shape and that the country has plenty of opportunities ahead.
Asked how he rated Ardern, English noted her rapid rise.
“That’s a fairly remarkable performance given that just 10 or 12 weeks ago she was the deputy leader of a failing opposition.”
New Zealanders have been waiting since the Sept. 23 election to find out who will govern after the voting ended without a clear winner.
New Zealand First is expected to extract policy concessions and win some ministerial posts by joining the Labor coalition. Ardern said the details would be released in the coming days.
Peters said in his announcement that his party’s perception of how capitalism needs to change influenced its decision.
“Far too many New Zealanders have come to view today’s capitalism not as their friend but as their foe, and they are not all wrong,” he said. “That is why we believe that capitalism must regain its responsible, its human face.”