Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, has enchanted the world. Whether you agree with her or not, people are clearly captivated by her empathetic leadership style and progressive politics. Ardern, who rose to prominence after unexpectedly taking on the role of prime minister in 2017, has navigated a series of unprecedented challenges during her tenure. Her tenure in office was filled with success and hardship. She was then hit with not one but three devastating earthquakes, a horrific nation-wide terror attack, and a global pandemic.
A fierce debater in her school days, Ardern’s enthusiasm for the political realm was foreshadowed by her formative experiences. She then completed a degree in politics and communications at the University of Waikato. This experience created an even greater foundation for her political career. Upon finishing her education, she worked as a researcher for the caucus of the New Zealand Labour Party. This role afforded her brilliant firsthand experience of the shifting and volatile political landscape.
Prior to her return to New Zealand, Ardern spent time in London working as a policy adviser at the Better Regulation Executive. This role deepened her skills and further equipped her for the difficult journey that awaited in her home country. In 2017, she was elected deputy leader of the Labour Party. Not long after, her party’s leader resigned, and she suddenly found herself catapulted into the position of prime minister.
Ardern was given only 72 hours to come up with a revised campaign strategy. She immediately proved her mettle to make tough decisions quickly and of a strategic mind. Her leadership soon became identified with wide-ranging progressive values, grounded in compassion, emotion, and a desire to change the world through anti-racism.
Her formative experiences would lead Ardern to see the world through a different lens. Raised in a Mormon household with strict values—including no caffeine and door-knocking on behalf of God—she witnessed social injustices firsthand in her hometown’s Māori community. Collectively, these experiences left her with a “relentless sense of responsibility,” which she brought with her to Washington as a politician. During her youth, she took a job at the local fish and chip joint, the Golden Kiwi.
In June 2018, Ardern made history by bringing daughter Neve into the world. For this joyful occasion, she made history as the first world leader to bring a three-month-old baby with her to the United Nations General Assembly. This event made clear her intention to juggle motherhood with politics and defined her progressive position within this arena by championing women’s rights.
No stranger to crises during her leadership, Ardern had to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. She acknowledged the complexity of decision-making during this period, stating, “People only see the decisions you made, not the choices you had. The first part of Covid, people saw all the choices and decisions. The second half, it just got hard. It got hard. Vaccines bring an extra layer that’s really difficult.”
“In the face of immense pressure as a leader, Ardern made it a point to lean into collective decision-making. “You’re actually leading a collective,” she explained. “They were [the public] driving how they were responding and I just happened to be in the drivers seat with them on the front of that. That’s how it felt to me.”
Her resolve to be inclusive came through sharply after she stood with Muslim communities after the Christchurch terror attack, supporting them without hesitation. “You can show sympathy and love for all Muslim communities,” she stated, reinforcing her stance against hate and division.
Even as she faced these challenges, Ardern was always introspective about the part she was playing. “I consider myself an observer, observing someone else’s politics,” she noted. This point of view helped keep her grounded under the weight of leadership’s helm.
Just a few weeks into 2023, Ardern shocked the world when she announced her resignation as prime minister. She did not give a reason when she announced her departure. She was adamant that burnout wasn’t the reason. “Burnout is very different from making a judgment in yourself as to whether or not you’re operating at the level you need to be,” she explained.
As she steps away from the political spotlight, Jacinda Ardern leaves behind a legacy of compassionate leadership and progressive values. Her story, marked by perseverance and grit, has motivated millions around the world.