Jacinda Ardern recently stepped down as prime minister of New Zealand. She was first elected in 2017 when her Labour Party formed a minority coalition government with New Zealand First, with support from the Greens. She was re-elected in 2020 when Labour won a landslide victory.
Ardern is especially well-known for her promotion of equality and was the first New Zealand prime minister to attend a pride march, showing an open commitment to the LGBTQA+ community.
Following the mosque shootings of March 19, 2019, she gave a speech which promoted unity and inclusion and addressed the Islamic community with the words “As-salaam Alaikum”, Arabic for “Peace be upon you”. Under her premiership, Matariki, the Māori New Year, became a new public holiday, further displaying a sense of celebration of diversity and inclusion.
Ardern can be a role model not only for girls and women but for anyone who aspires to serve in politics. Under her tenure, well-being, equality and the environment were given priority over economic growth. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns were implemented and the 2020 election was delayed by a month.
The former prime minister introduced policies aimed at the reduction of child poverty, such as free lunches in schools, she supported working families and passed bills to make the country carbon neutral by banning new oil and gas explorations and electric cars more affordable.
On some issues like planning and governance, it feels like we are governed by nationalists on steroids- Daniel Desira
After the 2019 terror attack, Ardern tightened gun control laws so as to help prevent further incidents. Her record also includes the decriminalisation of abortion and measures to address the gender pay gap. One can say that she led the nation with kindness and compassion but also with decisiveness and action.
Undoubtedly, politicians are people too and nobody is perfect but things here in Malta look quite the opposite in comparison. The Labour Party has now been in power for almost 10 years and has brought about many important changes, especially when it comes to civil rights.
However, on some issues like planning and governance, it feels like we are governed by nationalists on steroids. Our open spaces and heritage are being sacrificed in the name of short-term economic gain and the pockets of a chosen wealthy few.
Moreover, the socio-economic situation of the working and middle classes has not improved as much as the governing party boasts. The minimum wage is certainly not enough to make ends meet and the measly increases in benefits, while welcome, are simply not enough.
Despite schemes for first-time buyers, some of the Maltese Labour government’s policies, such as the selling of passports to rich elites and subsidies to developers, have further contributed to price out young people from the housing market.
Prime Minister Robert Abela’s stance on refugees differs from Ardern’s, as, while the latter wanted to increase her country’s intake, Abela has been quite hostile and, during the pandemic, spent taxpayer’s money to keep refugees on his cronies’ ships.
Needless to say, one does not expect much from the conservative opposition, which is more focused on attacking any progress on civil rights. Neither can we expect much from most of the MPs elected through the gender quota mechanism. They don’t differ much from their male counterparts as most are career politicians who follow the party line.
However, some local politicians in Malta do remind me of Ardern. Take for instance Labour delegate and former deputy mayor Desirée Attard who has fought projects such as the hotel-university in Żonqor tooth and nail, defying the party line, or Nationalist Party candidate Emma Portelli Bonnici.
ADPD’s Sandra Gauci and Melissa Bagley also come to mind, having achieved a respectable result at the last election due to their humane approach as well as the party’s progressive policies focused on societal well-being. Ardern shall be missed but, hopefully, we’ll see more rising politicians like her in the future.
Daniel Desira is a green activist, putting social justice at the heart of environmental issues.