WELLINGTON (Reuters) – Chris Hipkins is set to replace Jacinda Ardern as leader of the Labour party and New Zealand’s prime minister after being the only candidate to be nominated for the role, the Labour Party said in a statement on Saturday.
Hipkins is expected to be confirmed as the new leader by a meeting of Labour’s 64 lawmakers, or Caucus, on Sunday.
First elected to parliament for the Labour Party in 2008, the 44-year-old Hipkins became a household name fronting the government’s response to the pandemic after being appointed minister for COVID-19 in November 2020. Hipkins is currently minister for the Police, Education, Public Service and serves as leader of the House.
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Leslie Adler)
