Chris Hipkins to replace Jacinda Ardern as New Zealand Prime Minister

Wellington, 21 January (IANS). New Zealand’s current Minister of Police, Education and Public Services, Chris Hipkins, will replace Jacinda Ardern as the country’s next Prime Minister.

The BBC reported on Saturday that Hipkins is currently the sole candidate for Labor leadership and will need to secure formal party support in the House of Commons on Sunday before taking the top post.

If she is upheld, Ardern will submit her resignation to the Governor-General on 7 February, and Hipkins will be appointed Prime Minister to replace King Charles III.

Hipkins was first elected to Parliament in 2008 and was appointed COVID-19 Minister in November 2020.

Ardern, who took office in 2017 at the age of 37, announced her resignation on Thursday. During this time he said he no longer had enough energy to lead, he said the last five and a half years of his life had been very fulfilling.

He said it was difficult to lead the country during a crisis. During his tenure there was the Covid pandemic, the Christchurch mosque shooting and the White Island volcanic eruption.

Polls show rising inflation and social inequality are hurting Ardern’s popularity, the BBC reports.

–IANS

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