37-year-old Jacinda Ardern to become youngest Prime Minister of New Zealand in 150 years
37-year-old Jacinda Ardern will become New Zealand’s third female prime minister and its youngest leader since the 1800s.
Jacinda Ardern, who became leader of New Zealand Labour less than three months ago, is the prime minister-elect, after Winston Peters announced that his New Zealand First party would enter into a coalition deal.
“This is an exciting day. We aspire to be a government for all New Zealanders and one that will seize the opportunity to build a fairer, better New Zealand,” said Ms. Jacinda Ardern.
She almost single-handedly brought Labour to government after taking over its leadership in August. She feels extremely honoured and privileged to be in the position to form a government with Labour in the lead.
Jacinda Ardern policies are progressive because she sees herself as both a social democrat and a progressive. As a supporter of the labour movement, she opposes tax cuts for high-income earners as supported by the National Party and supports a welfare state that provides a safety net for citizens unable to support themselves.
Jacinda Ardern background is motivating. After graduating from the University of Waikato in 2001, Jacinda Ardern began her career working as a researcher in the office of Prime Minister Helen Clark She later worked in the United Kingdom as a policy advisor to Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair and, in 2008, she was elected President of the International Union of Socialist Youth.
Jacinda Ardern won elected office in 2008 as a list MP, a position she held for almost ten years until her election to the Mount Albert electorate in the 2017 by-election. Later that year, she was unanimously elected as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party following the resignation of Annette King.
Jacinda Ardern family is known for hard work. She was born in Hamilton, New Zealand but grew up in Morrinsville and Murupara where her father Ross Arden worked as a police officer and her mother, Laurell Ardern was a school canteen worker. She has a Bachelor of Communication Studies (BCS) in Politics and Public Relations.
She was brought into politics by her aunt, a longstanding member of the Labour Party, who recruited teenager Jacinda Ardern to help her with campaigning for New Plymouth MP Harry Duynhoven during his re-election campaign in the 1999 general election.
Jacinda Arden domestic partner is Clarke Gayford. He is in awe of her achievements. He thinks “she’s the greatest, and she’s just beginning.” He doesn’t want the focus to be on him, he says, “It’s not really about me, it’s about Jacinda and what she can do. My job is to be a supportive partner and to make sure she’s eating her lunch and remembering to get enough sleep.”
