Jacinda Ardern is a New Zealand stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2017 to 2023. Elected at age 37, she was the world's youngest head of government at the time and the second leader in history to give birth while in office.
Jacinda Ardern(1980 — ?)
Jacinda Ardern
Nouvelle-Zélande
7 min read
Frequently asked questions
Famous Quotes
« Empathy is one of the most radical political acts one can make.»
« You can be both compassionate and strong at the same time.»
Key Facts
- 2017: elected Prime Minister of New Zealand at age 37, the youngest leader in the country's history
- 2019: led the response to the Christchurch terrorist attack (51 deaths), including swift firearms law reform
- 2018: gave birth to her daughter Neve while in office, becoming only the second world leader in history to do so
- 2020: widely praised for her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with New Zealand ranking among the world's best-prepared nations
- 2023: voluntarily resigned from office, citing burnout and the need for renewal
Works & Achievements
The world's first national budget to place human and environmental well-being at the heart of public spending priorities, integrating mental health, child poverty reduction, and ecological transition. A model studied by many governments.
Within two weeks of the attack, Ardern passed a law banning semi-automatic and assault weapons. A buyback of nearly 50,000 weapons was organized, internationally praised as a swift and decisive political response.
International initiative launched jointly with Emmanuel Macron, committing governments and technology companies (Facebook, Google, Twitter) to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.
A public health policy of strict lockdowns and border closures that allowed New Zealand to maintain one of the lowest death tolls in the world in 2020, held up as a global model for epidemic crisis management.
A public address in which Ardern announced that she no longer had sufficient energy to continue. This speech, remarkably candid about the exhaustion that comes with holding power, reignited a global debate about the mental health of political leaders.
Anecdotes
In June 2018, Jacinda Ardern gave birth to a baby girl named Neve while serving as Prime Minister. She became the second elected world leader to give birth while in office, after Benazir Bhutto in 1990. Her partner Clarke Gayford took on the role of stay-at-home dad — an unprecedented arrangement for a head of government.
In September 2018, Ardern brought her three-month-old daughter Neve to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. It was the first time in UN history that a baby attended plenary sessions. Delegates from around the world were astonished and moved by this unprecedented sight.
On 15 March 2019, a terrorist attack struck two mosques in Christchurch, killing 51 people. Ardern immediately went to the victims' families wearing a black headscarf, embraced them, and repeated: “They are us.” Within less than two weeks, her government passed legislation banning semi-automatic and assault weapons in New Zealand.
During the COVID-19 lockdown in April 2020, Ardern hosted a Facebook Live in her pyjamas from home to answer questions from New Zealanders. This unusually accessible approach for a head of government earned her international popularity and showcased her direct, warm communication style.
On 19 January 2023, at a press conference, Ardern announced her resignation with disarming candour, saying she no longer had “enough in the tank” to continue. Her decision, praised around the world, reignited the debate about the mental health of political leaders and the exhausting demands of power.
Primary Sources
“There is no place in New Zealand for such acts of extreme and unprecedented violence. [...] They are us. The people who were victims of this attack are us.”
“I know what this job takes, and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. [...] It is time.”
“I am one of the few world leaders who has grown up in the era of social media. [...] We must treat online disinformation the way we treat other security challenges.”
“We believe that a nation’s success should not only be measured by its GDP, but by the quality of life of its people, the health of our environment, and our ability to support one another.”
Key Places
Jacinda Ardern's hometown, located on the North Island. She grew up there partly before moving to Morrinsville with her family.
Seat of the New Zealand government where Ardern served as Prime Minister from 2017 to 2023 and delivered her most historic speeches.
City struck by grief following the terrorist attack on 15 March 2019 targeting two mosques. Ardern's visit and her empathetic response left a lasting impression on the community.
Ardern represented New Zealand at the General Assembly in 2018, accompanied by her daughter Neve, creating a historic image of female leadership.
The country's largest city, where Ardern studied at university and began her political career. New Zealand's economic and cultural hub.
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Wellbeing Budget (Budget du Bien-être)
2019
Réforme sur les armes à feu après Christchurch
Mars 2019
Appel de Christchurch (Christchurch Call)
Mai 2019
Stratégie d'élimination du COVID-19 en Nouvelle-Zélande
2020
Discours de démission du 19 janvier 2023
2023
