(Morning News) New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern announced her resignation.
According to reports from Reuters and the British “Guardian”, Ardern issued a statement on TV on Thursday (January 19) saying that she will not seek re-election and that her term will end before February 7. A general election will be held on October 14, she said.
A visibly emotional Ardern said: “This summer, I had hoped to find a way to prepare not only for the next year but for the next term, because that’s what needs to be done this year. I haven’t been able to do that. .”
Ardern told the party’s annual caucus meeting on Thursday that she “no longer has the energy” to do the job.
She said being prime minister had “a great responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and when you are not”. “I know what the job entails. And I know I’m running out of energy to do it. Simple as that.”
Ardern said she was confident Labor would win the next general election, adding that Labor would vote on its next leader on Sunday (January 22).
New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister Robertson, who also serves as finance minister, said in a statement that he would not seek to run as the next Labor leader.
