New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern has announced that she will be stepping down from her post next month, stating that she is no longer capable of being the top leader.
“I am human. We give as much as we can for as long as we can and then it’s time. And for me, it’s time,” she said at a meeting of members of her Labour Party.
“I just don’t have enough in the tank for another four years,” she added.
Ardern became New Zealand’s Prime Minister in 2017. She has been recognized for her handling of a terror attack on two Muslim mosques and the COVID-19 pandemic. She even gave birth while in office.
Ardern told party leaders that she had hoped to find the energy to continue as leader during the break, “but I have not been able to do that.”
Ardern, however, stated that she is not resigning because another party gained popularity and could potentially win the next polls.
“I am not leaving because I believe we cannot win the next election, but because I believe we can and will,” she said.
“I am leaving because with such a privileged job comes a big responsibility. The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead — and also when you’re not,” she added.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Ardern for her excellent leadership qualities during her tenure.
