Culture

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern Quits Her Job With Nothing Lined Up

"I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice."

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In unexpected and completely harrowing news, Jacinda Ardern has just announced that she won’t be seeking re-election as Prime Minister of New Zealand.

The Prime Minister, who became the world’s youngest female leader back in 2017, said that she didn’t have the energy for another term — a refreshing statement that we nevertheless hate.

“I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice,” Ardern said, according to ABC News.

“I’m leaving, because with such a privileged role comes responsibility,” she said. “The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not. I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It’s that simple.”

And while we completely respect her decision, we respectfully ask: what on earth are we going to do now? And no, this isn’t New Zealand — but who can’t say they took comfort in knowing that at least our neighbours across the ditch had a decent PM. Maybe one day, we thought, it’d be possible for us too.

Alas, it’s over, with the PM also declaring they didn’t really have any professional plans for what she’d be doing next. Typical millennial.

“I am looking forward to spending time with my family once again… so to Neve, mumma is looking forward to being there when you start school this year, and to Clarke, let’s finally get married,” she said.

Suffice to say, we’ll be dancing the sad kiwi fruit dance today.


Photo credit: Kerry Marshall / Getty Images