Former COVID-19 response minister Chris Hipkins of New Zealand will succeed Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister after getting the sole nomination from fellow MPs, the ruling Labour Party said on Saturday.
Following Ardern’s surprise resignation on Thursday, the 44-year-old senior politician must be formally approved by Labour members of parliament on Sunday to take over as the country’s 41st prime minister.
The police and education minister will lead his party’s uphill battle to win general elections on October 14, even though the party is trailing in opinion polls and is being chastised by opponents for growing prices, poverty, and crime rates.
“The Labour Party caucus will meet at 1 pm on Sunday to endorse the nomination and confirm Chris Hipkins as Party Leader,” said a statement by senior Labour Party member Duncan Webb
Hipkins, as leader of the ruling party, will take over as Prime Minister when Ardern stands down.
Ardern, a global face for progressive politics, startled New Zealand by abruptly leaving government less than three years after winning a second term in a resounding election victory.
The 42-year-old said she no longer had “enough in the tank” after leading the country through natural disasters, the Covid outbreak, and its worst-ever terror incident.
‘Tough and capable’
Ardern said her choice to step down was “laced with grief,” but she had “slept comfortably for the first time in a long time” after making the announcement.
Political commentators have stepped up to criticize the social media abuse aimed at Ardern before to her departure.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said Ardern has experienced “extraordinary hostility and vitriol” in her country.
Her successor is widely regarded as a trustworthy set of hands, having served in parliament for more than 14 years.
Hipkins has been hailed as “intelligent, personable, tough, and capable” by political commentator Josie Pagani.
The country’s main opposition National Party had no quick reaction to Hipkins’ victory.
The right-wing ACT Party asked him to “deliver on substance rather than snow New Zealand with fluff,” citing his party’s record on welfare beneficiaries, rising food costs, and a tight labor market.
The Green Party said it looked forward to working with him to “end poverty, take bold climate action, and conserve our natural wildlife”.
Hipkins’ appointment also put an end to rumors that Justice Minister Kiri Allan, a key Maori MP in Labour, might become the country’s first Maori Prime Minister.
‘Incredibly strong’
But Allan complimented Hipkins as resolute and said she believed he would be “an incredibly strong prime minister”.
Hipkins received praise for his nearly two-year tenure as Covid response minister in a country that closed its borders to prevent the coronavirus out, only reopening fully in August last year.
He confessed last year that people were fed up with the severe pandemic restrictions, characterizing the border closures as “tough going”.
Hipkins defines himself as an “outdoor enthusiast,” particularly interested in mountain biking, hiking, and swimming.
