Jacinda Ardern : CNN / Steve Umemoto

The small-town takeout store worker who won over New Zealand -- and the world
By

Julia Hollingsworth
cnn.com
17 min
View Original

It wasn't so long ago that Jacinda Ardern was behind the counter, taking orders at the nautical-themed takeaway joint. Now, the 40-year-old New Zealand Prime Minister is one of the world's most recognizable leaders.

Throughout her three-year term, she's attracted headlines -- for being an unusually young Prime Minister, for giving birth while leading a country, for her empathetic handling of the Christchurch mosque attacks, and lately, for her swift, effective action against the coronavirus pandemic.
That's given her an outsized profile for the leader of a country of 5 million people. She's graced the covers of Vogue and Time magazine and hosted American TV personality Stephen Colbert at her suburban Auckland home. Last year, she topped a survey of most trustworthy politicians -- in Australia. And, as she heads into this year's New Zealand's election on October 17, polls put her as one of the country's most popular leaders ever.

The Golden Kiwi, a takeaway joint in Morrinsville that Ardern worked at when she was a teenager.

Ardern when she was at Morrinsville College.

What an incredible year it has been, what a year ahead.

She was New Zealand's youngest leader in more than 150 years, and one of the youngest heads of state anywhere in the world.

Photos: Jacinda Ardern: Her first term in photos

Photos: Jacinda Ardern: Her first term in photos

If Ardern wins a majority, she's in a position to push through more transformational policies. For now, her legacy is likely to be limited to the deft handling of multiple crises, said political commentator Thomas.
Ardern's former teacher Fountain sees it differently. To him, Ardern's style of leadership -- her emphasis on kindness and wellbeing -- has already had an impact on New Zealand's society. "There's a small town warmth that she has really carried with her."

The question now is whether she can parlay her popularity into transforming New Zealand in other ways.

Comments

Editors @ News & ViewsOctober 11, 2020 at 9:54 PM
From Kul Gautam

Thanks for sharing this inspiring profile of Jacinda Arden. She is definitely among the most impressive world leader today.

I was rooting for her to get the Nobel Peace Prize last year. Hope she will still get it one day.

Her maiden speech at UNGA in 2018 was the most inspiring of all speeches delivered at the UNGA in a long while.

Her rise in NZ politics, despite losing two parliamentary elections in a row, convinces me of the merits of proportional representation - when handled in a principled manner.

Kul

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