In an article about Ardern’s resignation as Prime Minister of New Zealand, the British media asked “Can Women Really Have It All?” A barrage of comments with accusations of sexism and misogyny led him to admit the error and change the message.
The resignation of the New Zealand prime minister sparked outrage on social media over the way BBC News presented the story. “Jacinda Ardern resigns: Can women really have it all?” The topic chosen for the article by the British media was to analyze the integration of the roles of mother and head of government.
This approach has generated various criticisms and accusations of sexism. “It’s a shame, BBC,” one reader said, calling Ardern “a hero” who has managed to inspire so many women. “What a ridiculous, ignorant and sexist topic. Jacinda had incredible courage to quit when she felt like it. Most politicians are tired but want to be ahead of their time,” read one comment. “A headline clearly written by a misogynist,” fumed another Twitter user.
In light of the article’s resonance, the BBC this Friday acknowledged the “inadequate” approach given to the matter. “We quickly realized that the original caption was inappropriate and changed it. We have also deleted the respective tweet,” a source linked to the media told AFP.
Five-and-a-half years later, Jacinda Ardern, 42, announced her resignation, explaining that she no longer had the “energy” to run for another term.
The announcement was made at a press conference on Thursday. “I gave my all to be prime minister, but it took a lot out of me,” he explained. “I can’t get the job done unless I have a full tank and some reserve for the unplanned and unexpected challenges that inevitably arise, and don’t do the job in the tank to do justice. It’s that simple,” he added.
Ardern also assured that her decision was not based on “any known corruption”. “I’m human. We give it our all and then the moment comes. For me, this is the moment,” she reiterated.
Labor must now elect a new leader of the party force and a new prime minister on Sunday. However, according to the NZ Herald, the elected official will only be in power until October 14, the date of the assembly elections.
Jacinda Ardern, who took office as Prime Minister in August 2017, is the youngest person in New Zealand’s history to hold that position. She has presided over critical moments such as the pandemic, a deadly volcanic eruption and the country’s worst terrorist attack, and in 2018 was the first woman to take her infant daughter to the UN. “A practical decision”, he described, at the height.