A Different Kind of Power: A Memoir

By October 2021, COVID-19 began to spread beyond the government’s ability to contain it. To buy time while vaccines were rolled out across the country, Ardern did not publicly admit the direness of the spread lest people abandon all cautionary measures, and instead gradually lifted restrictions while continuing with the previous system. By 2022, almost all restrictions were lifted, and New Zealand had one of the world’s highest vaccination rates. The Omicron variant, which had just arrived in New Zealand, was less deadly than previous iterations of the disease (though even more contagious), so many people, now vaccinated, were underwhelmed by their first encounter with COVID-19. This proved that the government’s efforts were successful.

Ironically, however, the weaker variant persuaded many people that the government’s efforts to protect them were unnecessary. Throughout the world, extreme right-wing media outlets and misinformation on social media propagated conspiracy theories about the pandemic, radicalizing vulnerable populations to distrust scientific authorities and governments, and for 23 days, protestors occupied the parliament lawn. They made threats against Ardern and spread unfounded accusations, and since no one could successfully negotiate or reason with them, they were eventually dispersed by force, leaving significant property damage. Ardern does not regret her decisions during the pandemic because they were effective in saving tens of thousands of lives, and because New Zealand fared far better than most similar countries across the world.

In 2022, Ardern made her official residence feel more homey and again took responsibility for making Neve’s birthday cake. She nonetheless felt guilty that she couldn’t spend more time with Neve due to her responsibilities, particularly when Neve asked her why she had to work so much. As borders opened again, Ardern resumed international travel for summits and meetings. Queen Elizabeth II died, prompting formal memorials and outpourings of grief throughout the world, and Ardern sorrowfully remembered the personal interactions she’d had with the late monarch. Ardern’s government made it compulsory to teach the history of New Zealand in schools and made the Māori New Year, Matariki, an annual national holiday, the first of Māori origin.

Ardern’s doctor found a lump during Ardern’s routine breast exam, and though it was benign, the cancer scare prompted Ardern to wonder for the first time if she could simply leave her job should things become too difficult. These thoughts lingered as she visited the hut of explorer Ernest Shackleton on Cape Royale, who had long been a hero of hers, particularly for his courageous decision to turn back before reaching his goal during a trek to the South Pole. She was perpetually stressed and felt as though her patience and resilience might be wearing thin. She caused a minor scandal when a mic caught her insulting the leader of the ACT New Zealand Party, and snapped at a journalist for a sexist remark during her press conference with the prime minister of Finland. She noticed that people all over the world had lost faith in their governments and were less restrained in showing hostility toward politicians.

While Ardern was considering whether to quit her job as prime minister, she took the utmost discretion (lest rumors be leaked to the public) to maintain confidence in her leadership and to take the decision out of her hands. She consulted with Grant, and once she explained her reasoning, he told her that from a professional standpoint, he wanted her to stay, but as her friend, he encouraged her to leave. Raj tried to persuade her to stay, countering her arguments and vowing that any problems could be fixed, but for the first time, she decided to disregard his advice. He was planning to leave politics, too, and Ardern fully believed that the Labour Party did not need her to secure a victory. She feared that she had become a political flashpoint that could cause a swing in favor of the right, and did not believe that she could serve another term effectively. Clarke was supportive, though he disliked the idea of letting the naysayers win; however, Ardern was content that she had already proved everything she needed to prove.

Throughout her political career, she continued visiting schools and asking the students what descriptors they associated with politicians. The answers had always been negative and never applied to her, but she recalls that by the end of her time as prime minister, someone finally said “woman,” and one girl said “kind.” To that girl, to readers, and to a younger version of herself, she writes a message: Traits such as kindness and sensitivity, which she once believed would prevent her from pursuing a career in politics, actually proved great strengths, and the world needs these characteristics in future leaders. On her way to resign from office, Ardern left a voicemail for journalist John Campbell, who had interviewed her over the phone as she traveled to be sworn in for her first term in office. Her voicemail to him reiterated her hope from the beginning of her premiership that she would be remembered for kindness above all else, and said that, ultimately, she was leaving happy.

Three months after resigning as prime minister, Ardern and her family moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where Harvard University offered her a fellowship. As Ardern and Neve walked together, Neve, who had just turned five, asked why Ardern had quit her job. She gave Neve a simplified version of the explanation she had given everyone else: She didn’t have the energy to do her best work anymore, and she thought it best that someone else take over the important job. Besides, it was nice to spend more time with Neve. Neve agreed but asked if it wasn’t important not to give up. After reflecting on her time as prime minister and the current state of the world, Ardern then looked at her daughter and agreed that it’s important to never give up.