This is what went wrong for Jacinda Ardern

© Provided by The Telegraph Jacinda

Jacina Ardern promised a new era of kinder, more progressive politics but will be remembered for imposing one of the world’s harshest lockdowns.

For her critics, Ms Ardern epitomised the worst of woke politics but even her supporters on the Left will now look back on her leadership as an era of missed opportunity.

The Prime Minister of New Zealand became one of the world’s most popular politicians after becoming the youngest female head of government in 2017 at the age of 37.

But the rock star politician’s failed zero Covid policy badly hurt her standing at home and doubtless contributed to her shock decision to quit.

At first, her Labour party was hugely popular for its handling of the pandemic but New Zealanders would come to chafe under the draconian restrictions.

Normally placid, they would later take to the streets in defiance of her coronavirus restrictions and a stay at home order.

A three week anti-vaccine protest on parliament grounds last year ended in violent clashes with police in scenes of discord not usually seen in New Zealand.

© Provided by The Telegraph Protesters during demonstrations against Covid restrictions in Wellington on February 10, 2022 - MARTY MELVILLE

Despite sealing New Zealand’s borders for almost two years, she failed to stop the spread of the Delta variant and the once-praised zero Covid policy was abandoned.

New Zealanders stranded abroad were finally able to return home to a country that lagged behind other developed nations in vaccination rates.

Ms Ardern’s popularity took a battering from which it has never recovered.

The economic consequences of zero Covid are now being exacerbated by a cost of living crisis brought about by the highest inflation in three decades.

New Zealand is in the grips of a housing crisis with many unable to afford new homes after her five years in power.

Ms Ardern rightly won praise for her compassionate response and swift reaction to the Christchurch terrorist attack in 2019.

© Provided by The Telegraph Jacinda Ardern hugs a mosque-goer at the Kilbirnie Mosque in 2019 following the worst mass shooting in New Zealand's history - Hagen Hopkins

She banned military style semi automatic weapons and assault rifles and set up a national buyback scheme for firearms in the days after a lone gunman killed 51 people in an attack on Muslim worshippers.

But she has failed to stop a rise in violent crime that has rocked New Zealand.

A wave of ram raids around the country led to accusations she was soft on crime, which only grew louder after a shop owner was stabbed to death during a raid in November last year.

The Right-wing opposition’s promises to crack down on crime have proved popular with voters, with support growing for National party leader Christopher Luxon.

Meanwhile, support for Ms Arden and New Zealand’s Labour party has dropped to its lowest level since she came to power in 2017.

Ms Arden said she simply did not have the energy to contest elections in October and deliver the fresh start her supporters had dreamed of.

“I no longer have enough in the tank to do the job justice,” Ms Ardern, only the second world leader to ever give birth in office, said.

But many will think she decided to jump before she was pushed out of office at the ballot box. 

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