By Lucy Craymer
WELLINGTON (Portal) Chris Hipkins will replace Jacinda Ardern as New Zealand’s next prime minister after being nominated as the sole candidate to lead the Labor Party, the party announced on Saturday.
Hipkins is expected to be confirmed as the new leader at Sunday’s meeting of 64 Labor MPs.
Hipkins, 44, was first elected to Parliament in 2008 and became a household name when he took over the government’s response to the pandemic following his appointment as Covid19 Minister in November 2020.
Hipkins is currently Secretary of Police, Education and Civil Service and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
A Horizon Research Flash poll conducted by local media organization Stuff on Friday showed that Hipkins is the most popular potential candidate among voters, with support from 26% of respondents.
Hipkins’ confirmation is expected to be a formality. Ardern will then submit his resignation to the governor general before Hipkins is appointed. He remains prime minister until the end of the party’s term.
General elections are due on October 14, with some polls showing Labor will struggle to remain in power.
A taxpayers’ union poll, based on data before Ardern’s resignation was announced, showed Labor’s popularity plummeted to 31.7%, while the opposition National Party of New Zealand was backed by 37.2% of respondents.
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer)