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New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, has decided to resign in February after almost six years on the job.
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JACINDA ARDERN, Outgoing New Zealand Prime Minister:
And so today, I'm announcing that I will not be seeking re-election.
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That's an emotional Jacinda Ardern stunning the masses with her resignation because she just needs a break.
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I am human, politicians are human, we give all that we can for as long as we can and then it's time.
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She went on to admit her time in office had been fulfilling yet challenging.
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The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead, and also, when you are not.
I know what this jobs takes, and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It's that simple.
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February 7th will be her last day in office, and the Labour Party caucus is expected to vote for a new leader on Sunday.
While she's bowing out of the October 14th general election, she'll remain a lawmaker until then.
With Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson staying out of the race, it's unclear who her successor will be.
Ardern's been an inspiration to women worldwide ever since winning the top job back in 2017 at the young age of 37.
She was the second world leader to become a mother in office.
Constantly advocating globalisation, she's avoided clashing with China over its assertive behaviour in the Pacific.
During her darkest days in office, she was lauded for consoling the country's Muslim community after a white supremacist shot 51 people to death at two mosques in Christchurch.
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Please be strong, be kind and unite against COVID-19.
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When it comes to the pandemic, she initially closed down the country but was forced to scrap her zero-tolerance strategy as vaccines and mutant strains arrived.
But crimes, protests and COVID continued to haunt her administration.
In recent months, her party has been trailing in the polls despite its landslide re-election win two years ago.
Ardern closed with her final wishes before leaving office.
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I leave behind a belief that you can be kind but strong, empathetic but decisive, optimistic but focused.
And to Clarke (fiance Clarke Gayford), let’s finally get married.
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