When New Zealanders head to the polls this weekend, Jacinda Ardern seems all but certain to secure a resounding victory. So is this proof of the popularity of Ardern’s zero-Covid strategy?
There is no doubt Ardern’s approach to the pandemic has been popular in New Zealand. Early on in the outbreak, the Labour party leader presented a national strategy. ‘We go hard, we go early,’ she told Kiwis in March, setting out in detail the four ‘alert’ stages and what would be required. A small population, no land borders, and no international flight hubs, meant that the country was able to shut down quickly, with relatively few deaths. This led to widespread acclaim and a massive surge in national solidarity and support for the government which, despite a small second wave of coronavirus cases, has largely held firm.
Even before the pandemic, Ardern was a recognisable figure overseas. New Zealand’s leader appeared on the cover of Vogue and Time and was widely praised for her response to the Christchurch Mosque shootings in March of 2019.
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