Chris Hipkins takes over as New Zealand head of government after Jacinda Ardern’s departure

jacinda ardern stepped down as prime minister of New Zealand after her surprise resignation to the head of government last week.

His ally Chris Hipkins, 44, was sworn in as new prime minister before the governor general of new zealand at a ceremony in the capital Wellington.

“This is the greatest privilege and responsibility of my life.”, declared Hipkins this Wednesday (Tuesday night in Ecuador) after taking office. “I am motivated and excited about the challenges ahead.”

Ardern claimed last week that he did not have the “energy” to continueafter leading the country through natural disasters, the worst terrorist attack in its history and the covid-19 pandemic.

In her last public appearance as prime minister on Wednesday morning, she walked out of Parliament before hundreds of passers-by who burst into spontaneous applause.

His centre-left government has struggled over the past two years with rising inflation, a possible recession and a rebound in the conservative opposition.

Hipkins, the architect of New Zealand’s response to the pandemic, now faces the task of lifting the government’s low approval ratings ahead of the October general election. (YO)