New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern has been sworn in for a second term after a landslide victory in elections.
Ardern and her ministers took their oaths of office in English and Maori during a ceremony at Wellington’s Government House.
“I would say simply that sitting at this table is Aotearoa New Zealand,” Ardern said, using the Maori term for her country.
“There are significant challenges for us to overcome together, but I am confident we have the team to do it and it is great to be officially able to now crack on with it,” Ardern said.
The 20-strong new-look cabinet also includes eight women, a development the PM said will “collectively represent a range of different perspectives, huge talent, enormous experience and, as you would expect in any time of crisis, a huge commitment to serving this country.”
Final results released on 6th November revealed Ardern won 50 percent of the vote, up from 49 percent on election night, giving her 65 seats in the 120-strong parliament, one more than initially expected.
The 40 year old PM has as a result, led the Labour Party to its biggest win since World War II despite having to delay the elections when Covid-19 cases suddenly spiked. Her success is partly attributed to her success in battling COVID-19.
The main opposition National Party saw its seats reduced from 35 to 33. The Maori Party, representing the Indigenous community that makes up about 15 percent of the population, picked up an additional seat to secure two representatives in the new parliament.
New Zealanders also voted in referendums on the recreational use of marijuana and euthanasia. Final results from the Electoral Commission showed a slim 50.7 percent majority voted against cannabis use, while nearly two-thirds backed legislation allowing terminally-ill people to end their lives, subject to certain safeguards.
Ardern said she had a clear mandate for reform, although her priorities would be containing COVID-19 and rebuilding the coronavirus-damaged economy.
While praised for her crisis management, Ardern was criticised during her first term for failing to deliver on key promises such as improving housing affordability, protecting the environment and reducing child poverty.
Since the election, Ardern has signalled she wants reform, but not at a rate that would turn away voters who switched support to Labour in the poll.
“We must make sure we represent all those who elected us, be they in city seats, rural seats, general seats or Maori seats,” she told reporters.
The PM has highlighted infrastructure including increased state housing and more renewable energy, as well as a determination to tackle issues such as climate change, poverty and inequality as key projects to be undertaken.
Edward Elder, an expert in political communication at the University of Auckland, said Ardern was likely to take an “incrementalist” approach to reform.
“It really depends on what the Labour government thinks they can implement to create long-term change, rather than overreaching, facing a harsh backlash, and having National come in after 2023 and simply reversing all their decisions,” he said.
