In a surprise announcement on Thursday, Ardern said she had “no more in the tank” to lead the country and would step down.
First elected to parliament for the Labor Party in 2008, Hipkins became a household name for the government’s response to the pandemic. He was appointed Minister of Health in July 2020, before becoming Minister for COVID Response at the end of the year.
Hipkins is holding a press conference following his confirmation as leader and is expected to announce a new deputy prime minister. Hipkins said on Saturday that Grant Robertson, currently deputy prime minister and finance minister, was likely to stay on.