People Are Celebrating After Jacinda Ardern Wins Second Term In Historic Landslide
"Tonight, New Zealand has shown the Labour Party its greatest support in at least 50 years"
People are celebrating Jacinda Ardern after her Labour Party won a landslide victory in New Zealand’s general election yesterday.
New Zealanders went to the polls yesterday, and it turned into a very good day for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Labour Party. With almost 100% of votes counted, Labour had secured 49%, with the opposition party on 29%. It is the best result for the Labour Party in 50 years, and could see Labour become the first party in decades to govern alone, without having to necessarily form a coalition.
With 80% of voters reported in the #NZelections2020, the party of PM Jacinda Ardern has so far enough seats not to require any coalition, with more than 49% of popular vote.
In case anyone wonders if good leadership matters.https://t.co/raPocZEuAD pic.twitter.com/q5eEuRSzLU
— Alessandro Nai (@alessandro_nai) October 17, 2020
Big day for both Greens & Act; Māori Party are back (on knife-edge of 2nd MP). Long believed that MMP parties make parliament function, bringing new ideas, better representation & wider diversity. How they operate with Labour having such a large majority will be interesting.
— Damian Light (masked) 😷 (@damianlight) October 17, 2020
hey jacinda pls let the greens join u in government for the next 3 https://t.co/i39oqQVBX4
— lu (@lusgays) October 17, 2020
A record number of New Zealanders voted in the election, with almost 2 million heading to the polls, seemingly wanting to reward Ardern’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak in New Zealand. In her victory speech, Ardern spoke directly to those people who may be new supporters.
“To those who have not trusted Labour before, and the results tell me there may be a few of you, to you I say thank you. We will not take your support for granted and I can promise you we will be a party that governs for every New Zealander.”
Ardern also garnered praise for opening her victory speech with 30 seconds of fluent Māori.
Could you imagine Morrison delivering a speech in language would never bloody happen power to her ✊🏽✊🏽 https://t.co/kiZtQaAqUe
— Tidda (@Tiddapage) October 17, 2020
While that is undoubtedly cool and rad, other people cautioned everyone to keep the administrations action and policies in mind, and holding them to account moving forward.
Its cool that Jacinda wants to open with some te reo Māori, but you can't do that and not talk about tino rangatiratanga and ihumatao. bruh c'mon
— Vladimir Jenin (@VladimirJenin) October 17, 2020
But for many people living through a very difficult year, who have watched election after election swing conservative, Ardern’s victory is one small bright spot.
This win for Ardern is extremely off-brand for 2020
— Farmering Dad (@DamienCWalker) October 17, 2020
(Extremely center left person who hasnt had a win in a decade and is using this to keep their sanity voice) congratulations jacinda!
— julia blunck (@juliablunck1) October 17, 2020
To see New Zealand so resoundly reject a right party that leaned further conservative, had a deputy that voted against gay marriage, openly sympathised w some Trump “achievements”…. ***chef’s kiss***
— Eli Matthewson (@EliMatthewson) October 17, 2020
Now the world’s eyes turn towards the next big election, with the U.S going to the polls in just a few weeks.