WELLINGTON: As Jacinda Ardern left New Zealand’s parliament on Wednesday to resign as prime minister, hundreds gathered for an emotional farewell before Chris Hipkins was sworn in as her replacement.
After leading the nation through the country’s worst terror attack, natural disasters, and the Covid-19 pandemic, Ardern stated last week that she no longer had “enough in the tank.”
Hipkins said he was “energised and excited by the challenges ahead” when he was sworn in by Governor General Cindy Kiro at a ceremony in Wellington, New Zealand.
He stated, “This is the greatest privilege and responsibility of my life.”
The 44-year-old is now tasked with turning around the declining popularity of the government, which has been hindered by a weakening economy and a resurging conservative opposition.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ardern made her final public appearance as prime minister, exiting the distinctive Beehive parliament building amid spontaneous applause from hundreds of staff members and onlookers. Prince William was among the first to offer Ardern his congratulations.
On Twitter, he wrote, “Thank you Jacinda Ardern for your friendship, leadership, and support over the years, not least when my grandmother passed away.”
Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, expressed gratitude to Ardern “for her kindness and strong leadership.”
He also said that he was looking forward to working with Hipkins and made a joke about how much the new leader said he liked sausage rolls.
“I hope we get to discuss our shared priorities in person soon — maybe over a British sausage roll?” “Our countries have so much in common.” Sunak tweeted.
Ardern was also praised by folk singer Yusuf Cat Stevens, who performed at a concert in memory of the 51 victims of the 2019 massacre at the Christchurch mosque.
He referred to Ardern as a “supporter of the peace train who kept New Zealanders together after the terror attack in Christchurch” on Twitter.
Ardern became prime minister for the first time in 2017 and won a landslide victory in 2020, riding a wave of “Jacindamania.”
