Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, bid adieu to politics on Wednesday, delivering a stirring address in which she told geeks, criers, and cuddlers that they, too, may one day rule. “You can be nervous, emotional, compassionate, and wear your heart on your sleeve, an ex-Mormon or not, a mother or not, a nerd, a crier, a hugger – you can be all of these things,” she stated with teary eyes. Ardern abruptly resigned in January, stating she left “no more in the tank” after five years of rule and would not seek a second term in October. Ardern was elected Prime Minister of New Zealand in 2017 just at the age of 37, making her the countrys third female president and one of the worlds youngest heads of government. She became only the second world leader in a year to give birth while in power. As she was chosen as Labour Party leader seven weeks before a general election, Ardern stated it was a post “I never imagined I was intended to have.” “It seemed like a combination of both a sense of duty steering a moving goods train and being hit by one,” she added. “Thats probably because my internal hesitation in leadership was paralleled only by a strong sense of obligation.”A personal yet political farewell speechHer parliamentary statement was also profoundly personal. Ardern expressed her concerns about her profession, saying she needed to “harden up” and “transform significantly” to thrive in politics. She considered herself an “emotional person and cuddler” as well as a “worrier,” but added, “Although I taught myself that you cant be a worrier and be in this position, maybe you can.”“I didnt change. I depart here as emotional as I came in, inclined to dwelling on the negatives, disliking question time so much that I had trouble eating most days beforehand, and I am here to remind you that you can be that individual and be here.” Ardern also discussed her inability to conceive and her “fear that I was selecting a route that meant I wouldnt be able to have kids.” She says she diverted herself to campaigning for prime minister after an unsuccessful round of IVF therapy after becoming the leader of the Labour Party.Jacinda Ardern: A global leader from New ZealandArdern immediately rose to prominence as a liberal worldwide symbol, recognised for her compassion as she led New Zealand through its deadliest terrorist attack and took her baby daughter to the United Nations General Assembly. However, her reputation waned at home owing to increased living costs, housing constraints, and economic uncertainty. She experienced violent anti-lockdown rallies in Wellington, as well as threats.Climate change was prominent in her address, and she mentioned the terrible floods that ravaged the countrys northeast earlier this year. She urged lawmakers to “please remove the politics out of climate change” in order to lower the emissions required to limit global warming. “We have everything we need to achieve the necessary progress,” she remarked.Global warming, child poverty, and inequality were the concerns that prompted Ardern to enter politics as she reflected on her tenure in government and her legacy. “The reasons I came here never left me,” she remarked. “Ive always thought this was a space where you could have an impact.” That is something I leave knowing.”
