It’s been more than two years since Jacinda Ardern unexpectedly resigned as prime minister of New Zealand after juggling being a first-time mom while navigating the aftermath of a domestic terror attack at two mosques, a deadly volcanic eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, Ardern lives in Boston, where she’s a fellow at Harvard University, and she seems to be in a reflection phase when it comes to politics.
Her memoir, “A Different Kind of Power,” hits shelves on Tuesday, several months after a documentary about her time as prime minister premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Ahead of the release of the book — which chronicles her unlikely rise to New Zealand’s top leadership position, the ups and downs of her time in office, and her unexpected resignation — Ardern did an interview on CBS’ “Sunday Morning” program and made something pretty clear: She’s done with politics.
‘In this case, say never’
At one point during Ardern’s interview, Robert Costa, the CBS “Sunday Morning” national correspondent, asked the former prime minister if she would ever consider returning to politics in New Zealand.
Ardern responded with a wide smile and zero hesitation.
“No, I think if you make the decision to leave, then you’ve made the decision to leave,” she said.
Costa pointed to leaders like Winston Churchill, who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom twice.
“Never say never,” he said.
“In this case, say never,” Ardern said with a laugh.
“I think also, for me, I have such great faith in all the people that I worked with and was lucky enough to work with. They’re wonderful. They’re doing a great job, and they don’t need me,” she added.
Distanced from politics, Ardern said she’s been enjoying her time in the U.S. and has appreciated the opportunity to be “a normal family.”
The former prime minister reflected on her effort to lead with empathy and kindness — an approach that simultaneously inspired praise and resistance from her constituents.
“That principle of kindness, it’s something we teach our kids, why shouldn’t we role model that in the way that we conduct ourselves in politics?” Ardern said on “Sunday Morning.”
“There are different ways to lead, but I hope you also see that some of those character traits that we perhaps bring to leadership that we might believe to be weaknesses — imposter syndrome, or even empathy — actually are incredible strengths," she added.
Why did Jacinda Ardern resign as New Zealand Prime Minister?
In “Prime Minister,” a documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, Ardern called herself a “reluctant prime minister,” as the Deseret News reported.
Early on in the film, she recalled how she feared having all of the responsibility land on her shoulders.
But she took on the role with confidence, and over five years, championed issues including gun control, climate change, child poverty reduction, raised minimum wage, paid parental leave and mental health.
She had substantial support as she navigated crisis after crisis as prime minister while embracing motherhood, but even still, the cumulative effect of the challenges she faced in office took a toll on her, ultimately leading to a surprise resignation.
Near the end of “Prime Minister,” in a present-day interview, Ardern wondered if she had maybe subconsciously been planning her exit all along.
At the time of her resignation, her favor in the polls had declined significantly. The political climate in New Zealand was also intensifying — protests had erupted on Parliament’s lawn over her COVID-19 mandates — and Ardern believed the temperature needed to cool down.
She figured that if she stepped down and removed herself from the equation, perhaps some of her accomplishments wouldn’t be overturned.
In “Prime Minister,” she stands behind her handling of the pandemic, noting that she would prefer to explain why she did too much rather than too little.
“Save people’s lives and keep everyone together,” she said of her responsibilities. “I did one, but I didn’t quite manage to do the other.”
Ardern ultimately resigned at the start of 2023, with her sights set on spending more time with family.
She married her partner, TV broadcaster Clarke Gayford, and became a dual fellow at Harvard.
Now, with politics in the rear view mirror, Ardern is focused on spreading a message of compassion and optimism — a theme throughout both the documentary and her new memoir.
“Optimism is a courageous act,” she said during her appearance at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. “It’s not passive, you have to keep fighting for it. ... You have to act on its behalf. Please maintain the courage of optimism, we need it now more than ever.”