New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern announces resignation; says 'it's time'

Sydney: Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, declared on Thursday that she would step down in the next month.

"For me it's time," she said at a meeting of members of her Labour Party. "I just don't have enough in the tank for another four years."

Recent polls show a decline in Ardern's popularity as well as that of her party and herself. Ardern was appointed prime minister in a coalition government in 2017 and then led her centre-left Labour Party to a resounding victory in an election three years later, AFP reported.

She stated during Labour's annual caucus retreat that she had hoped to find the energy to continue as a leader during the break, "but I have not been able to do that," in her first public appearance since the start of the summer session in parliament a month ago.

Ardern stated that she would continue to serve as an electorate MP until the upcoming general election, which will take place on Saturday, October 14.

"I am not leaving, because I believe we cannot win the next election, but because I believe we can and will," she said.

The Labour caucus would vote on a new leader on January 22, according to Ardern, who also stated that her departure would be effective no later than February 7.

Grant Robertson, the deputy prime minister, declared he would not run for office.

Ardern said that the reason behind the resignation was not a secret.

"I am human. We give as much as we can for as long as we can and then it's time. And for me, it's time.

"I am leaving because with such a privileged job comes a big responsibility. The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead -- and also when you're not."