Jacinda Ardern

Biography

Ardern's 'politics of kindness' — tested by a terror attack, a volcanic eruption and a pandemic — became a global brand of empathetic leadership. Her 2020 landslide rewarded an elimination strategy on COVID; two years later, cost-of-living pressures and pandemic fatigue ended the phenomenon on her own terms.

New Zealand politician whose empathetic leadership style drew global attention during crises and the pandemic.

Known for

Leading New Zealand (2017-2023), including through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notable works & defining projects

• COVID-19 elimination strategy (2020)
• Christchurch Call initiative
• Wellbeing Budget (2019)

Notable achievements

• Became prime minister in 2017, aged 37, then the world's youngest female head of government
• Won a landslide re-election in 2020
• Led the response to the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, including swift gun-law reform

Timeline

1. 2017Took Labour from electoral doldrums to government in seven weeks as leader
2. 2019Led the response to the Christchurch attacks; gun laws were tightened within weeks
3. 2023Resigned as prime minister, saying she no longer had 'enough in the tank'

Did you know?

• At 37 she was the world's youngest female head of government when she took office in 2017
• In 2018 she became the second elected head of government in history to give birth while in office