Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern is a New Zealand politician who served as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party from 2017 to 2023.
139 Facts About Jacinda Ardern
2.
Jacinda Ardern joined the Labour Party at the age of 17.
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Jacinda Ardern later worked in London as an adviser in the Cabinet Office during Tony Blair's premiership.
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In 2008, Jacinda Ardern was elected president of the International Union of Socialist Youth.
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Jacinda Ardern was first elected as an MP in the 2008 general election, when Labour lost power after nine years.
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Jacinda Ardern was later elected to represent the Mount Albert electorate in a by-election on 25 February 2017.
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Jacinda Ardern was unanimously elected as deputy leader of the Labour Party on 1 March 2017, after the resignation of Annette King.
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Exactly five months later, with an election due, Labour's leader Andrew Little resigned after a historically low opinion polling result for the party, with Jacinda Ardern elected unopposed as leader in his place.
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Labour's support increased rapidly after Jacinda Ardern became leader, and she led her party to gain 14 seats at the 2017 general election on 23 September, winning 46 seats to the National Party's 56.
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Jacinda Ardern was sworn in by the governor-general on 26 October 2017.
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Jacinda Ardern became the world's youngest female head of government at age 37.
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Jacinda Ardern gave birth to her daughter on 21 June 2018, making her the world's second elected head of government to give birth while in office.
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Jacinda Ardern describes herself as a social democrat and a progressive.
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In March 2019, in the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings, Jacinda Ardern reacted by rapidly introducing strict gun laws, winning her wide recognition.
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Jacinda Ardern moved the Labour Party further to the centre towards the October 2020 general election, promising to cut spending during the remainder of the COVID-19 recession.
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Jacinda Ardern led the Labour Party to a landslide victory, gaining an overall majority of 65 seats in Parliament, the first time a majority government had been formed since the introduction of a proportional representation system in 1996.
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On 19 January 2023, Jacinda Ardern announced she would resign as Labour leader, prompting global reactions about her leadership style and policy decisions.
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Jacinda Ardern was born on 26 July 1980 in Hamilton, New Zealand.
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Jacinda Ardern grew up in Morrinsville and Murupara, where her father, Ross Ardern, worked as a police officer, and her mother, Laurell Ardern, worked as a school catering assistant.
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Ardern was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and her uncle Ian S Ardern is a general authority in the church.
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Jacinda Ardern studied at Morrinsville College, where she was the student representative on the school's board of trustees.
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Jacinda Ardern joined the Labour Party at the age of 17.
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Jacinda Ardern attended the University of Waikato, graduating in 2001 with a Bachelor of Communication Studies in politics and public relations, a specialist three-year degree.
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Jacinda Ardern took a semester abroad at Arizona State University in 2001.
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On 30 January 2008, at 27, Jacinda Ardern was elected president of the International Union of Socialist Youth at their world congress in the Dominican Republic for a two-year term until 2010.
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Jacinda Ardern then continued to manage both roles for the next 15 months.
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Ahead of the 2008 election, Jacinda Ardern was ranked 20th on Labour's party list.
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Jacinda Ardern became Labour's candidate for the safe National electorate of Waikato.
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Jacinda Ardern was unsuccessful in the electorate vote, but her high placement on Labour's party list allowed her to enter Parliament as a list MP.
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Jacinda Ardern made regular appearances on TVNZ's Breakfast programme as part of the "Young Guns" feature, in which she appeared alongside National MP Simon Bridges.
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Jacinda Ardern contested the seat of Auckland Central for Labour in the 2011 general election, standing against incumbent National MP Nikki Kaye for National and Greens candidate Denise Roche.
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Jacinda Ardern maintained an office within the electorate while she was a list MP based in Auckland Central.
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Jacinda Ardern was elevated to the fourth-ranking position in his Shadow Cabinet on 19 December 2011, becoming a spokesperson for social development under the new leader.
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Jacinda Ardern stood again in Auckland Central at the 2014 general election.
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Jacinda Ardern again finished second though increased her own vote and reduced Kaye's majority from 717 to 600.
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In 2014 Jacinda Ardern was selected, attended and graduated from the World Economic Forum's Forum of Young Global Leaders, founded by Klaus Schwab, which takes place in Switzerland.
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Jacinda Ardern remains involved publicly as a part of the Young Global Leaders Alumni Community, and speaks at WEF events.
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Jacinda Ardern put forward her name for the Labour nomination for the Mount Albert by-election to be held in February 2017 following the resignation of David Shearer on 8 December 2016.
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When nominations for the Labour Party closed on 12 January 2017, Jacinda Ardern was the only nominee and was selected unopposed.
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On 21 January, Jacinda Ardern participated in the 2017 Women's March, a worldwide protest in opposition to Donald Trump, the newly inaugurated president of the United States.
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Jacinda Ardern won a landslide victory, gaining 77 per cent of votes cast in the preliminary results.
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On 1 August 2017, just seven weeks before the 2017 general election, Jacinda Ardern assumed the position of leader of the Labour Party, and consequently became leader of the Opposition, following the resignation of Andrew Little.
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Jacinda Ardern was unanimously confirmed in an election to choose a new leader at a caucus meeting the same day.
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At 37, Jacinda Ardern became the youngest leader of the Labour Party in its history.
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Jacinda Ardern is the second female leader of the party after Helen Clark.
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Jacinda Ardern named Peters as deputy prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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Jacinda Ardern gave New Zealand First five posts in her government, with Peters and three other ministers serving in Cabinet.
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The next day, Jacinda Ardern confirmed that she would hold the ministerial portfolios of National Security and Intelligence; Arts, Culture and Heritage; and Vulnerable Children; reflecting the shadow positions she held as Leader of the Opposition.
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Jacinda Ardern is New Zealand's third female prime minister after Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark.
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Jacinda Ardern is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders.
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On 19 January 2018, Jacinda Ardern announced that she was pregnant, and that Winston Peters would take the role of acting prime minister for six weeks after the birth.
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Jacinda Ardern promised to halve child poverty in New Zealand within a decade.
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In July 2018, Jacinda Ardern announced the start of her government's flagship Families Package.
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Economically, Jacinda Ardern's government has implemented steady increases to the country's minimum wage and introduced the Provincial Growth Fund to invest in rural infrastructure projects.
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Jacinda Ardern travelled to Waitangi in 2018 for the annual Waitangi Day commemoration; stayed in Waitangi for five days, an unprecedented length.
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Jacinda Ardern became the first female prime minister to speak from the top marae.
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Jacinda Ardern's visit was largely well-received by Maori leaders, with commentators noting a sharp contrast with the acrimonious responses received by several of her predecessors.
58.
On 24 August 2018, Jacinda Ardern removed Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran from Cabinet after she failed to disclose a meeting with a broadcaster outside of parliamentary business, which was judged to be a conflict of interest.
59.
Curran remained a minister outside Cabinet, and Jacinda Ardern was criticised by the Opposition for not dismissing Curran from her portfolio.
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Media questioned her account, with one journalist stating that Jacinda Ardern's claim was "hard to swallow".
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Jacinda Ardern opposes criminalising people who use cannabis in New Zealand, and pledged to hold a referendum on the issue.
62.
Jacinda Ardern admitted to past cannabis use during a televised debate prior to the election.
63.
In September 2020, Jacinda Ardern announced that the government had abandoned plans to make tertiary education tuition-free.
64.
On 5 November 2017, Jacinda Ardern made her first official overseas trip to Australia, where she met Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for the first time.
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Relations between the two countries had been strained in the preceding months because of Australia's treatment of New Zealanders living in the country, and shortly before taking office, Jacinda Ardern had spoken of the need to rectify this situation, and to develop a better working relationship with the Australian government.
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Jacinda Ardern attended the 2017 APEC summit in Vietnam, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 in London and a United Nations summit in New York City.
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In 2018, Jacinda Ardern raised the issue of Xinjiang internment camps and human-rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim minority in China.
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Jacinda Ardern has raised concerns over the persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
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Jacinda Ardern travelled to Nauru, where she attended the 2018 Pacific Islands Forum.
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At a 2018 United Nations General Assembly meeting, Jacinda Ardern became the first female head of government to attend with her infant present.
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Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker and Jacinda Ardern announced that the government would continue participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations despite opposition from the Green Party.
72.
Jacinda Ardern travelled to Christchurch to meet first responders and families of the victims.
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Jacinda Ardern said that the attack had exposed a range of weaknesses in New Zealand's gun law.
74.
On 14 March 2020, Jacinda Ardern announced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand that the government would be requiring anyone entering the country from midnight 15 March to isolate themselves for 14 days.
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Jacinda Ardern said the new rules will mean New Zealand has the "widest ranging and toughest border restrictions of any country in the world".
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Alastair Campbell, a journalist and adviser in Tony Blair's British government, commended Jacinda Ardern for addressing both the human and economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.
77.
The number of lives saved by the response Jacinda Ardern spearheaded was estimated as up to 80,000 by a team led by Shaun Hendy.
78.
Jacinda Ardern retained the Mount Albert electorate by a margin of 21,246 votes.
79.
Jacinda Ardern credited her victory to her government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic impacts it has had.
80.
On 2 December 2020, Jacinda Ardern declared a climate change emergency in New Zealand and pledged that the Government would be carbon neutral by 2025 in a parliamentary motion.
81.
On 14 June 2021, Jacinda Ardern confirmed that the New Zealand Government would formally apologise for the Dawn Raids at the Auckland Town Hall on 26 June 2021.
82.
In September 2022, Jacinda Ardern led the nation's tributes following the death of New Zealand's longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
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Jacinda Ardern described her as an "incredible woman", and a "constant in our lives".
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Jacinda Ardern described the Queen as a "much admired and respected" monarch.
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Jacinda Ardern stated that republicanism was currently not on the agenda but believed that the country would head in that direction in the future.
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In mid December 2022, Jacinda Ardern was recorded on a hot mic calling the leader of the ACT Party, David Seymour, an "arrogant prick" during Parliament's Question Time.
87.
On 17 June 2020, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met with Bill Gates and Melinda Gates via a teleconference in a meeting requested by Bill Gates.
88.
Jacinda Ardern said she'd be happy to assist, an Official Information Act request response has shown.
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Jacinda Ardern had met the Gateses the year before in New York.
90.
On 12 December 2020, Jacinda Ardern and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown announced that a travel bubble between New Zealand and the Cook Islands would be established in 2021, allowing two-way quarantine-free travel between the two countries.
91.
On 26 January 2021, Jacinda Ardern stated that New Zealand's borders would remain closed to most non-citizens and non-residents until New Zealand citizens have been "vaccinated and protected".
92.
On 29 January 2022, Jacinda Ardern entered into self-isolation after she was identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case on an Air New Zealand flight from Kerikeri to Auckland on 22 January.
93.
In early December 2020, Jacinda Ardern expressed support for Australia during a dispute between Canberra and Beijing over Chinese Foreign Ministry official Zhao Lijian's Twitter post alleging that Australia had committed war crimes against Afghans.
94.
Jacinda Ardern described the image as not being factual and incorrect, adding that the New Zealand Government would raise its concerns with the Chinese Government.
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On 9 December 2020, Jacinda Ardern delivered a speech virtually at the Singapore FinTech Festival, applauding the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement among New Zealand, Chile and Singapore as "the first important steps" to achieve the regulatory alignment to facilitate businesses.
96.
Jacinda Ardern subsequently travelled to Syria to live in the Islamic State as a ISIS bride in 2014.
97.
Jacinda Ardern accused the Australian Government of abandoning its obligations to its citizens and offered consular support to Aden and her children.
98.
In late May 2021, Jacinda Ardern hosted Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison during a state visit at Queenstown.
99.
In early December 2021, Jacinda Ardern participated in the virtual Summit for Democracy that was hosted by US President Joe Biden.
100.
In late May 2022, Jacinda Ardern led a trade and tourism mission to the United States.
101.
On 1 June 2022, Jacinda Ardern met with US President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris to reaffirm bilateral relations between the two countries.
102.
On 10 June 2022, Jacinda Ardern visited the newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
103.
In late June 2022, Jacinda Ardern attended the NATO's Leader Summit, which marked the first time that New Zealand had formally addressed a NATO event.
104.
Jacinda Ardern criticised China for challenging international norms and rules in the South Pacific.
105.
Jacinda Ardern alleged that Russia was conducting a disinformation campaign targeting New Zealand due to its support for Ukraine.
106.
On 30 June 2022, Jacinda Ardern spoke by telephone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
107.
In early August 2022, Jacinda Ardern led a delegation of New Zealand political leaders, officials, civil society leaders, and journalists including National Party and opposition leader Christopher Luxon, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni and Pacific Peoples Minister William Sio on a state visit to Samoa to marked the 60th anniversary of Samoa's independence.
108.
In mid November 2022, Jacinda Ardern attended the East Asia Summit in Cambodia where she condemned the Myanmar military regime's execution of political prisoners and called for consensus in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
109.
On 19 January 2023, at the Labour Party's summer caucus retreat, Jacinda Ardern announced she would resign as Labour leader and prime minister by 7 February and leave Parliament by the 2023 general election.
110.
Jacinda Ardern cited a desire to spend more time with her partner and daughter and an inability to commit to another four years.
111.
Jacinda Ardern had indicated in November 2022 that she would seek a third term as prime minister.
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Jacinda Ardern's announcement prompted reactions from across the New Zealand political establishment.
113.
Green Party co-leader James Shaw credited Jacinda Ardern with fostering a constructive working relationship between their parties while fellow co-leader Marama Davidson praised Jacinda Ardern for her compassion and determination to promote a "fairer and safer" Aotearoa.
114.
Jacinda Ardern's final event as prime minister was a birthday celebration for Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, a Maori prophet.
115.
At the event, Jacinda Ardern called her work as the Prime Minister the "greatest privilege" and stated that she loved the country and its people.
116.
On 4 April 2023 Jacinda Ardern was announced as a trustee of the Earthshot Prize.
117.
Jacinda Ardern was selected for the post by Prince William, who stated that Jacinda Ardern had a life-long commitment to supporting sustainable and environmental solutions.
118.
Jacinda Ardern accepted dual fellowships at the Harvard Kennedy School for a semester beginning in fall 2023, to serve as the 2023 Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow and as a Hauser Leader at the Center for Public Leadership, where she intends to share and learn leadership and governance skills.
119.
Jacinda Ardern has described herself as a social democrat, a progressive, a republican, and a feminist, citing Helen Clark as a political hero.
120.
Jacinda Ardern has described the extent of child poverty and homelessness in New Zealand as a "blatant failure" of capitalism.
121.
Jacinda Ardern has spoken in support of same-sex marriage, and she voted for the Marriage Amendment Act 2013 which legalised it.
122.
Jacinda Ardern supported the removal of abortion from the Crimes Act 1961.
123.
Jacinda Ardern voted in favour of legalising cannabis in the 2020 New Zealand cannabis referendum, though she refused to reveal her position on legalisation until after the referendum had concluded.
124.
In September 2017, Jacinda Ardern said she wanted New Zealand to debate removing the monarch of New Zealand as head of state.
125.
Jacinda Ardern condemned the Israeli killing of Palestinians during protests at the Gaza border.
126.
Jacinda Ardern announced that the Government would introduce legislation lowering the voting age to 16 years; with such legislation requiring a 75 per cent majority.
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Jacinda Ardern contrasted with contemporary world leaders, being cast as an "antidote to Trumpism".
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Jacinda Ardern is a foil to the muscular diplomacy of the likes of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Jacinda Ardern was one of fifteen women selected to appear on the cover of the September 2019 issue of British Vogue, by guest editor Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
130.
Jacinda Ardern was included in the 2019 Time 100 list and shortlisted for Time's 2019 Person of the Year.
131.
On 19 November 2020, Jacinda Ardern was awarded Harvard University's 2020 Gleitsman International Activist Award; she contributed the US$150,000 prize money to New Zealanders studying at the university.
132.
On 26 May 2022, Jacinda Ardern was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Harvard University for contributions that "shape the world".
133.
In January 2017, Jacinda Ardern identified as agnostic, saying "I can't see myself being a member of an organised religion again".
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Jacinda Ardern is a distant cousin of former National MP for Taranaki-King Country Shane Ardern.
135.
Shane Ardern left Parliament in 2014, three years before Jacinda Ardern became prime minister.
136.
The couple first met in 2012 when they were introduced by mutual friend Colin Mathura-Jeffree, a New Zealand television host and model, but they did not spend time together until Gayford contacted Jacinda Ardern regarding a controversial Government Communications Security Bureau bill.
137.
On 3 May 2019, it was reported that Jacinda Ardern was engaged to marry Gayford.
138.
On 19 January 2018, Jacinda Ardern announced that she was expecting her first child in June, making her New Zealand's first prime minister to be pregnant in office.
139.
Jacinda Ardern was admitted to Auckland City Hospital on 21 June 2018, and gave birth to a girl the same day, becoming only the second elected head of government to give birth while in office.