Chris Hipkins is set to become New Zealand’s next prime minister after being nominated as Labor’s sole candidate to replace outgoing leader Jacinda Ardern.
Hipkins, the country’s Minister of Education, was seen as a likely successor to Ardern. resign as prime minister By February, I had completed a five-year term as leader.
The 44-year-old was nominated in a Labor Party statement on Saturday morning local time after his bid for leadership of the party went unchallenged.
Hipkins, who was first elected to Congress in 2008, will be confirmed as the new party leader on Sunday when the party’s 64 members gather.
He joined Congress 11 years after being arrested and escorted on grounds of opposition to the then-popular government’s educational policies.
Hipkins is well known within New Zealand for leading the country’s Covid-19 response and making regular appearances together. Ardern The press conference will detail the measures taken by the government.
Remutaka MP elevation known as . new zealand Known as a “chippy” in politics, Ardern’s abrupt resignation on Thursday after she said she didn’t have the energy to pursue another term triggered her appointment.
He was a long-term political ally of Ardern and both were staffers of former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. Since becoming a Member of Parliament, he has earned a reputation as “Mr. Fixit.”
Daniil McLachlan, a biologist at the University of Victoria Wellington, said Hipkins had earned a “very competent” reputation for being placed in difficult portfolios such as education and the police.
McLachlan said recent polls show both Labor and Ardern’s support is slipping ahead of the October election, but Hipkins’ replacement is justified.Christopher Luxon .
Hipkins, who is known for his casual attire, told reporters he was confident he would win the election. “I think people in New Zealand have seen the work I do,” he said.
He paid tribute to Ardern’s “calm, steady and reassuring leadership” in some of the most difficult circumstances in the country’s history. “But we are different people,” he said, drawing a line between himself and his predecessor.
McLachlan said Hipkins had the same critics from Ardern’s opponents of New Zealand’s pandemic policy, which has risen to “diabolical” levels over the past year, despite playing a central role in the Covid-19 response. “He’s very prominent, but he’s not living rent-free in the heads of hundreds of thousands of New Zealand protesters,” he said. said.
Labor’s traditional coalition partner, the Greens of New Zealand, said in a statement that it looked forward to working with Hipkins.
Green Co-Leader James Shaw said: “Chris will be a great prime minister and we look forward to continuing to work together this term and for the rest of next term.
