New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, 44, resigned in tears, citing that she no longer had emotionally what it takes to serve as prime minister. Ardern said “its time,” referring to her final decision to step down after five-and-a-half years, starting her term Oct. 26, 2017 at age 37, the youngest prime minister in New Zealand history. “This has bee the most fulfilling 5 1/2 years of my life, but it has also had its challenges,” Ardern said, citing the Covid-19 global pandemic and the biggest mass shooting in New Zealand history. Ardern tried to control the narrative for her decision, making it sound like she wasn’t quitting but letting another colleague take the reigns. “But I’m not leaving because it was hard,” Ardern told the press. “I’m leaving because with such a privilege comes responsibility—the responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead, and also when you are not,” Ardern said.
Whether admitted to or not, Ardern says she’s no longer emotionally fit to serve, something that doesn’t sit well when you consider she’s only 44-year-of age, in her prime by most standards. President Joe Biden, 80, has given every hint that he intends to run for a second term in 2024, regardless of his age-related problems. But in Ardern’s case, she wants to excuse herself, based on the public accepting her excuse that she’s essentially “burned out.” “I know what this job takes, and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank. To do it justice,” Ardern said. “It’s that simple,” letting the public know her talking points for resigning.. When it comes to burn-out, it sounds like Ardern didn’t get the kind of help that would have helped her cope with the job stress serving as prime minister. Ardern thinks the press will speculate about her reason for stepping down” but wanted to control the narrative.
If Ardern’s colleagues in the New Zealand parliament knew in 2017 that she could “burn out” after one term, they probably would have picked a different person to lead the country. “I am human, politicians are human,” Ardern said. “We give all that we can for as long as we can. And then it’s time. As for me, it’s time,” referring to her own assessment that she can’t take the stress. When she talks about she knows when it’s time to throw in the towel, it certainly sounds like she’s had a breakdown of some kind, pushing her to end her time in office. When Ardern accepted her role as prime minister in 2017, she knew that she’s be expected when her term ends to continue to lead the New Zealand government. Saying she’s human is not an excuse to explain why she says she no longer has enough “in the tank” to serve as prime minister. It’s really not that simple as Ardern makes it out.
Ardern’s Labour Party will no doubt find a replacement but that still doesn’t answer the question of why a 44-year-old isn’t capable of meeting her responsibility as prime minister. If Biden’s ready to continue at age 82, you’d think that Ardern could handle another stint as prime minister at age 44. Ardern has four-year-old daughter with her domestic partner Clarke Gayford. If her domestic partnership were threatened in any way because of her “responsibility” as prime minister, then the public has a right to know the real reasons behind her decision. Saying she’s “human” is no excuse for anything because humans step up to challenges, find solutions, deal with problems and complete the task at hand. No one should accept Ardern’s feeble excuse that she doesn’t have “enough in the tank.” If she’s depressed, dealing with mental health issues, then the public has a right to know.
If Ardern no longer has the mental capacity to discharge he job as prime minister, she needs to inform the public or let he doctors explain to the press the nature of her disability. If there’s no disability preventing her from discharging her duties as prime minister then public also has a right to know that. But Ardern can’t have it both ways: Giving an excuse for resigning but expecting the press to not ask questions. Resigning a post of prime minister or president is a big deal. Decisions aren’t taken lightly by leaders sworn to faithfully discharge duties related to their leadership jobs. When Ardern says “I am human,” she’s implying that she’s had some kind of breakdown. Not simply her personal preference to no longer to assume her prime minister responsibility. So, it’s still unclear the real reason Ardern resigned as prime minister. In all likelihood, she has stress or mental health issues.
Resigning her post a prime minister, Ardern tried to give some feeble excuses but can’t expect the public to accept he explanation. If she decided she was sick of the job, no longer willing to put in the time, energy and work as prime minister, the public needs to know. But in her teary-eyed decision to resign, it’s clear that she has emotional issues that prevent her from continuing to do her job. When she says she’s “human,” she’s trying to tell the public that she’s no longer fit for duty. Without an explanation from her doctor, the public concludes that she’s no longer interested, by personal preference, of serving as prime minister. “Arguably they’re the ones that have sacrificed the most out of all our us,” Ardern admitted, when referring to Gayford and her four-year-old daughter. It’s OK for Ardern to admit she’s done sacrificing for New Zealand and wants to spend private time with her family.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
