Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister who surprised the world: ‘Public life has become dehumanized’

In 2023, she resigned as leader of New Zealand because she no longer had ‘enough in the tank’ to give her best. She had been in office for six years. Her departure marked the culmination of a different approach to power, one that stood in stark contrast to the male-dominated hyper-leadership that continues to dominate the world. Her understanding of politics, based on empathy and transparency, made her an icon. We spoke with her in London