Chris Hipkins Bids To Succeed Jacinda Ardern As Prime Minister
Following Jacinda Ardern's unexpected resignation announcement earlier this week, New Zealand's education minister Chris Hipkins is bidding for prime minister.
On Saturday morning, Hipkins was the lone candidate nominated for leadership of the governing Labour Party.
Party whip Duncan Webb said the Labour Party caucus will gather on Sunday to formally approve and confirm Hipkins as leader. The next general election in New Zealand is scheduled for October 14.
Hipkins is a professional politician who has served as the Covid-19 response minister in Ardern's cabinet since becoming a member of parliament in 2008. He is also the Minister of the Police and the Public Service, as well as the Leader of the House, in addition to his role as Minister of Education.
Reporters heard him say he wants to find consensus on who is "best to lead the Labour party, and therefore New Zealand forward" after nominations ended at 9 a.m. local time in Wellington.
“I am absolutely humbled and honored,” he said, then added, “there is still a bit to go in this process. There is still a meeting tomorrow and a vote, and I don’t want to get too far ahead of that.”
The minister went on to thank his party members, saying “we have gone through this process with unity and we will continue to do that.”
Despite the difficulties ahead, he promised to lead the country in a "strong, stable, and unified" way.
“I acknowledge that at the moment, we’re going through some economic turbulence and we’re going to have to navigate our way through there,” he said.
Hipkins also told reporters that he is “incredibly optimistic about New Zealand’s future” and is “really looking forward to the job. I am feeling energized and enthusiastic.”
In a country that successfully reduced Covid-19 infections and fatalities by closing its borders, he oversaw the reaction for nearly two years.
He also managed New Zealand's gradual reopening, which culminated in July of last year when the country once again welcomed all international visitors.
Ardern announced her resignation as prime minister on Thursday, citing a lack of motivation to run for reelection as the reason.
At the time, Prime Minister Ardern told reporters that she expected her tenure to conclude on February 7 and that a new Labour prime minister would be sworn in on that date, albeit "depending on the process that might be earlier."
During her term in office, Hipkins claimed that Ardern was "the leader that we needed at the time that we needed it" due to the fact that it coincided with a terrorist attack, natural catastrophes, and a worldwide epidemic.
He also said that he, like Ardern, would be subject to "a lot scrutiny and a lot criticism" if he ran.
Hipkins has remarked, "I go into this job with my eyes wide open, knowing what I’ve what I’ve stepped into."