Jacinda Ardern is the current Prime Minister of New Zealand. She became the youngest female head of state, assuming office on 26 October 2017. She is a member of the NZ Labour Party and describes herself as a social democrat and progressive. She has been praised for her handling of the 2017 Christchurch Mosque shootings and also the NZ response to Covid-19, which saw an early lockdown and limited spread compared to other western economies. he has also sought to raise global awareness for issues such as the environment and human rights. Her leadership style has gained her an international profile much greater than usual for NZ leaders.