Jacinda Ardern: A Total Class Act

We wish to make note of the incredibly classy announcement last week by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who told her country that she will be stepping down from the post after almost six years in office.

Ms. Ardern took over the job at the age of 37, making her at the time the youngest head of state in the world.

She admitted very forthrightly that she had “nothing left in the tank,” and that she was shifting her focus in life to her family (she has a four year-old daughter.)

Jacinda Ardern epitomized the term “political courage.”  Her tenure will be remembered for her compassionate response to a massacre in a mosque in the nation’s capital, Christchurch, and for her subsequent spearheading of a ban on assault weapons in that country. She also guided New Zealand through the worst of the COVID crisis with courage, determination, and competency that saw New Zealand ultimately have one of the lowest COVID mortality rates in the world.

Ms. Ardern will be missed on the world stage. We can only hope that political leaders in our country might learn from her example.