Jacinda Ardern’s resignation: the result of unfair criticism and extraordinary expectations
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Yet perhaps few of us can ever understand how difficult and complicated it really is to lead a country. Especially in times of crisis and with our modern media and online environment, a leader’s every statement and every move is surrounded by extensive scrutiny and commentary.
As Shakespeare wrote in the 1500s, the head that wears the crown is restless. It is not a new idea that top-level leadership positions are highly stressful and come at a high cost. Prolonged stress can turn into frustration. Yet perhaps few of us can ever understand how difficult and complicated it really is to lead a country. Especially in times of crisis and with our modern media and online environment, a leader’s every statement and every move is surrounded by extensive scrutiny and commentary.
A disturbing feature of the comments about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been the derogatory, violent, sexist and anti-feminist tone. Although Ardern has not given reasons for her decision to resign, the fact that she is being targeted in this way, and that her partner and even her child have been targeted, is certain Obviously all of this must have made their already difficult task more challenging.
Crisis, Kindness and Courageous Decisions Crisis has long been viewed as the most profound test of a leader’s skill and character. They have to take such big decisions at times which actually have life and death implications. Decisions must be made quickly, but often the information necessary to make the right decisions and anticipate their consequences is not available. After Ardern became the Prime Minister, a mountain of crises broke down on him one after the other.
He displayed his strength of character and leadership skills in answering them. He was globally admired for his composure, compassion in dealing with the Christchurch terror attacks and his decisive determination to ensure that such heinous acts could not be repeated here. Ardern tries to combine compassion and kindness in her decisions with the courage to take tough decisions that are a key feature of her style. Unrealistic Expectations from a Leader During the pandemic, Ardern has repeatedly proved her willingness to make bold decisions.
This, along with his skill in mobilizing public understanding and support for the government’s Covid response, was critical to the success of the elimination strategy. Many lives and livelihoods were saved because of his leadership. When Delta and then Omicron came along, Ardern tried to continually adapt government policies to the changing context. His persistence may be one of his many strengths, but dogmatism is not one of his weaknesses.
Of course not all decisions turned out to be optimal – to expect them to be so would be highly unrealistic. Some of his decisions caused a strong negative reaction. But it’s unwise to expect perfection from leaders, and making tough decisions in a big position is inevitably part of the job that not everyone will agree with. Rise in sexist and anti-female abuse No leader is omnipotent, especially in a democracy and a globally interconnected world.
The latest crisis Ardern is grappling with is the cost of living, driven by global forces far beyond the control of any New Zealand prime minister. New Zealand is in a better position than many other countries, but unfortunately for Ardern, it may mean little to some people. The reality is that his growing unpopularity is partly rooted in people’s unrealistic expectations. People don’t want to understand what politicians can actually do and what they can’t and they have to blame someone for the situation.
But one cannot deny the fact that most of the criticism directed at her is loaded with sexist and misogynistic attitudes. Such behavior is inexcusable. It should forever be a shame to New Zealand that Ardern had to fall victim to this. This cannot be justified by arguing that her policies have been controversial and she deserves this abuse. Ardern however is the third female Prime Minister of New Zealand and now we also have equal representation of women within Parliament. But the sexist and feminist nature of so much of the criticism and abuse of Ardern also shows that we are a long way from treating women in leadership equally.
Disclaimer:IndiaTheNews has not edited this news. This news has been published from PTI-language feed.
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