Jacinda Ardern, solid and progressive Prime Minister who seduces New Zealand

Jacinda Ardern, on the night of her victory in Auckland, October 17, 2020. It is the biggest Labor Party victory since 1946 in New Zealand.

AAP Image / David Rowland via REUTERS

Text by: Lou Roméo Follow

9 min

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was triumphantly re-elected on Saturday, October 17.

A resounding victory that it owes in part to its management of the many crises experienced by the country during its first mandate.

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She was said to be " 

 ", and yet.

Jacinda Ardern denied all expectations by winning Saturday the largest majority ever obtained in New Zealand since the reform of the electoral system in 1996. Here she is again Prime Minister for three years,

 : her center party -left, the Labor Party, won 64 seats out of 120 in Parliament.

What "to 

 ", she announced in her acceptance speech.

Young, feminist, progressive, modern, charismatic… Jacinda Ardern has been the darling of the international press since coming to power in 2017, and collects “first times”.

Raised in the Mormon faith, she renounced it to defend homosexuals, and publicly participated in a gay pride in 2018, becoming the first Prime Minister of New Zealand to show her support for the LGBT + community in this way.

🇳🇿For the first time in history, a New Zealand Prime Minister parades during #GayPride in Auckland in # New Zealand.

Jacinda Arderne, Prime Minister of the country called for more support for #LGBT people.

Over 25,000 people attended.

pic.twitter.com/VOaJlAC0G0

  Charles Baudry (@CharlesBaudry) February 19, 2018

Feminist and modern

She is also the second female leader to give birth in full mandate, 28 years after Pakistani Benazir Bhutto.

An image of a young mother that she assumes and that she knows how to play, since she is also the first Head of State to bring her child to the

, simply declaring to journalists: " 

 ".

“ 

develops David Camroux, Franco-Australian researcher and professor at Sciences Po.

.

"

A wobbly first coalition 

However,

for this young woman catapulted in 2017 at the head of the Labor Party, just seven weeks before the elections.

Her party was then lowest in the polls, and she only came to power by forming a shaky coalition with the right-wing populist New Zealand First and the Greens - far more to the left than Labor in the political arena. New Zealanders.

Woman of consensus, graduate in political science and public relations, " 

 ", analyzes David Camroux.

But this miraculous alliance is also causing him harm.

" 

 ", continues the researcher.

Its main campaign promises, the fight against child poverty, the construction of 100,000 social housing units and the rehousing of the homeless, have in fact remained a dead letter until today, blocked by the

New Zealand First.

Excellent crisis management 

More than her reforms, it is therefore above all her ability to manage crisis situations that Jacinda Ardern draws her popularity, in New Zealand and internationally. 

, earthquake, massacre or pandemic, the head of government has stood out with her reassuring and effective reactions to each major upheaval.

Far from the image of the sensitive young woman whom the media reproached her with at the start of her political career, her stoicism and her composure are impressive, as during this earthquake on live TV. 

More sadly, images of veiled Jacinda Ardern hugging a Muslim woman after

have traveled the world.

" 

," you are us and we are you ", made

 ", continues David Camroux.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to representatives of the Muslim community at Canterbury refugee center in Christchurch, New Zealand March 16, 2019. New Zealand Prime Minister's Office / Handout via REUTERS.

Unanimously hailed

, his management of the crisis following the worst terrorist attack known by New Zealand since 1806 in which 51 Muslims lost their lives, murdered by a far-right terrorist - was able to combine empathy and firmness.

The Prime Minister then demonstrated a capacity for rapid reaction: ten days after the attack, the whole of Parliament

prohibiting the sale and possession of assault rifles and semi-automatic.

To facilitate its implementation,

is adopted, the State buying back the weapons from the population.

25 deaths from Covid-19 for 5 million inhabitants

Better yet, its handling of the coronavirus crisis sets an example for many other countries.

New Zealand has only 1,900 cases of Covid-19, including 25 deaths, for 5 million inhabitants.

Deconfined in May 2020, the country experienced a new wave in August,

.

“ 

analyzes David Camroux. 

.

And this while maintaining a bond of trust with the population, which his success in the election testifies today.

" 

 ", decrypts David Camroux.

During the seven weeks of confinement, she indeed hosts daily “Facebook Live” and explains in simple language the state of the pandemic in the country and the measures to be followed, without skimping on humor and self-mockery. .

She thus declares, for example, " 

 " essential workers during confinement. 

"The Easter Bunny may not be able to go everywhere this year," warns New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

# confinementjour22 pic.twitter.com/kgMiQc6hx8

  Claire Underwood (@ParisPasRose) April 7, 2020

Between liberalism and protectionism 

Transparency, pragmatism, calm and charisma thus seem to characterize his political style.

Jacinda Ardern alternates between liberal measures and protective measures, combining the values ​​of the center left with that of the center right, in the spirit of

.

She thus

and proposed two referendums to legalize

and euthanasia, the results of which will be known on October 30.

But she also knows how to be protective.

Faced with the worst recession experienced by New Zealand since 1930, Ardern launched a proactive policy to support wages, and announced that it would cut its income and those of the government by 20% for six months to support those most affected by the crisis.

The reduction of the working

and the creation of new public holidays are also being studied to revive the tourism and hotel sectors.

“ 

'I'm like you'.

», Continues David Camroux.

A viral post on New Zealand social networks shows Jacinda Ardern and her companion refused at the entrance of a popular Wellington café, because there was no room due to physical distancing measures.

" 

 ", analyzes the researcher.

Omg Jacinda Ardern just tried to come into Olive and was rejected cause it's full.

💀

  Joey 🧜🏻‍♂️ (@reinvention) May 15, 2020

A solid political career 

But her charisma and her personal qualities should not make people forget that she is " 

 ".

Jacinda Ardern began her political career at the age of 17, as the leader of the young Labor Party in New Zealand.

At the end of her studies, she became parliamentary attaché to the former Prime Minister Helen Clark (in power between 1999 and 2008), and then continued her career in London, as an advisor to Tony Blair, then in power in England.

In 2008, on her return to the country, she entered Parliament and became the spokesperson for the youth of the Labor Party.

“ 

concludes David Camroux. 

.

"

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