New Zealand has elected the next prime minister, a 37-year-old Jacinda Ardern has set out her priorities for the country. The new head of the government said she plans to urgently address climate change, tackle inequality and improving women’s lives.
For Ms Ardern, becoming a prime minister was a surprise, thanks to the support of the NZ First leader Winston Peters, Ardern’s Labour party could form a coalition government with a slim majority. That slim chance made Jacinda Ardern a New Zealand prime minister on Thursday.
On Friday, Ardern started to work and set out her priorities, the women’s issue is one of them:
“We have found allies in this parliament who wish to join with us in building a fairer New Zealand, ”
Ardern reiterated that she is committed to having 50% of her caucus made up of women – a goal she is yet to achieve. Now, the figure is only 5%, so, there is enough to do.
“I have great ambition as a woman and as prime minister-elect that we will make great gains as a government in issues like equal pay, in issues like supporting women in the roles they choose to take, whether they be work or in caring roles … I hold that issue close to my heart.”
Another important issue for New Zealand’s prime minister is an environment, Ms Ardern believes that a country has a great future if the environment is protected, where the families got support. So far, Ardern hasn’t revealed the priorities regarding the foreign policy of New Zealand.
The new prime minister has already released a list of 16 Cabinet ministers and five ministers outside Cabinet, 6 of the 21 are women, it obviously shows the lack of representation, according to the Labour’s standards. In perspective, Jacinda Ardern is believing that NZ Cabinet should be 50/50 female and male, that is a target.
