Days after Jacinda Ardern announced her shock resignation, her ally Chris Hipkins has emerged as a unanimous choice to succeed her and is set to become New Zealand’s new prime minister.
‘Biggest privilege of my life’
Hipkins gained a lot of popularity while leading the nation’s closed-border crackdown on COVID-19. People see him as a “tough and capable” politician. He held police and education portfolio in the regime led by Ardern. Being the sole contender to replace Ardern in the Labour Party, his name will be formally endorsed for the top job on Sunday.
“It’s a big day for a boy from the Hutt,” Hipkins said, referring to the Hutt Valley near Wellington where he grew up. “I’m really humbled and really proud to be taking this on. It is the biggest responsibility and the biggest privilege of my life.”
Countdown to elections already on
Hipkins is taking over the country’s reigns at a critical period, as he will have just a little more than eight months in the role before contesting a general election. Opinion polls have already indicated that Labour Party is trailing its main opponent, the conservative National Party. However, the Labour Party has entrusted him the key role, as he is known as a political troubleshooter who has donned various caps to try and iron out problems created by other lawmakers.
To retain finance minister
Hipkins made it clear that he wouldn’t be announcing any policy changes or ministerial roles before Sunday’s vote, though at the same time he said Grant Robertson would continue to hold the charge of the finance ministry.
Incidentally, the Labour Party is hoping that Hipkins will appeal to a wide range of voters as he is considered more centrist than his predecessor.
Also read: New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern announces resignation; general elections on Oct 14
Economy biggest challenge
For him, the biggest challenge during an election year will be to convince voters that his party is managing the economy well. New Zealand’s unemployment rate is relatively low at 3.3%, but inflation is high at 7.2%. New Zealand’s Reserve Bank has hiked the benchmark interest rate to 4.25% as it tries to get inflation under control, and some economists are predicting the country will go into recession this year.
Pays tribute to Ardern
Hipkins, however, believes that he could win the election and paid tribute to Ardern. “Jacinda Ardern has been an incredible prime minister for New Zealand. She was the leader that we needed at the time that we needed it,” he said.
Ardern took the nation of 5 million people by surprise on Thursday when she announced she was quitting after five-and-a-half years in the top office.
Ardern became the prime minister at an age of 37. She was lauded around the world for her handling of the nation’s worst-ever mass shooting and the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she faced mounting political pressures at home, even as she was subject to physical threats and misogynistic rants online.