Jacinda Ardern Wins New Zealand General Elections

On Saturday, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won the country's general elections by the majority, unprecedented in New Zealand's history, after counting the majority of the votes.

Ardern, head of the Labor Party, won 49 per cent of the vote, thus obtaining a parliamentary majority that guarantees her presidency.

On the other hand, the National Party had 27 per cent of the electorate, the party conceded defeat by the Labor Party.

These elections were scheduled to take place last September, but they were postponed for a month due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus.

More than a million people voted in October 3, when voters asked to apply two laws, one relating to "euthanasia" and the other legalizing the use of cannabis, in addition to the general elections that determine the next prime minister.

"New Zealand has always given Labor enormous support for 50 years, and I pledge before you that the party will work for every New Zealander," Ardern told her supporters after the elections.

Judith Collins, chair of the opposition National Party, congratulated Ardern on the victory and pledged that her party would be "a strong opponent."

Collins pledged to run for the next general elections, scheduled in 3 years, and said, "3 years will pass in no time, and we will return to what we were in the past.

It is noteworthy that no party achieved these results in New Zealand since the introduction of the current voting system, the "mixed proportional representation" system, which has been in use in New Zealand since 1996.

Before the elections, observers questioned the Labor's ability to achieve a parliamentary majority.

Aredern pledged to voters to apply laws that support efforts to protect the environment, as well as increasing funds allocated to the schools in need and increase taxes on businessmen.

Her rival, Collins, pledged to increase investment in the country's infrastructure and cut taxes temporarily.