Every departure is followed by an arrival. In this little game, we know the name of the one who will soon replace Jacinda Ardern, resigning Prime Minister, at the head of New Zealand. The only candidate to succeed him, Chris Hipkins, 44, hitherto in charge of the fight against Covid-19, must be formally appointed on Sunday by the leadership of the ruling party before becoming the 41st Prime Minister of his country.
“The Labor Party caucus will meet at 1 p.m. on Sunday to endorse the nomination and confirm Chris Hipkins as leader of the party,” said Duncan Webb, a Labor party executive. The new head of government will be responsible for leading his party in the general elections in October, for which he is not the favorite, according to the polls. “I like to think of myself as someone who is determined and able to get things done,” he told reporters outside Parliament in the capital, Wellington, believing he could win the poll. of October 14.
Already critics in the opposition
Chris Hipkins is widely regarded as a seasoned politician, with over 14 years in Parliament. Political columnist Josie Pagani called him “sensitive, sympathetic, tough and competent”. For his part, Christopher Luxon, leader of the main opposition party in the country, the National Party (center-right), congratulated Chris Hipkins while considering that “just changing the head of the Labor Party (was) not enough for the people of New Zealand.
“The reality is that he was an essential piece of a government that failed to do anything,” he said. His appointment also ended speculation that Justice Minister Kiri Allan could have become the first Maori to lead New Zealand. The latter congratulated Chris Hipkins, saying he would be “an incredibly strong Prime Minister”.