"It's time for me," said Ardern. "I just don't have enough in the tank for another four years." The head of government was obviously referring to the upcoming parliamentary elections this year and the subsequent legislative period.

Ardern was elected Prime Minister in 2017. She was confirmed in this office in the parliamentary elections in October 2020, and achieved a historic election victory. In all her years in government, the charismatic politician made a name for herself, above all with her sensitive crisis management.

This applied, among other things, to New Zealand's path through the corona pandemic. Ardern also received a lot of recognition for her reaction to the terrorist attack in March 2019 on two mosques in Christchurch that killed 51 people. At the time, she gave a moving speech and wore a headscarf to show her solidarity with the Muslim community around the world.

Most recently, however, the popularity ratings of the head of government and her party had fallen in surveys.