Jacinda Ardern won over her nation handily from 2017-2020, and in the process gained numerous admirers globally, including in high places. However, less around the world know that from 2021-22, her popularity in New Zealand took a sharp negative turn. She resigned in January 2023, and NZ kicked the door shut behind her and her ideology by electing a new government that same year.
In this video, we explore the rise and fall of Ardern—from the days of Jacindamania to the eventual “Jacinda Derangement Syndrome”. She is widely-regarded to have been a powerful symbol for the country—young, sensitive, beautiful (by New Zealand politician standards). However, leadership roles are not just symbolic but also executive, and over time Ardern and her party increasingly attempted to use power to restrict the civil liberties of the very citizens who had invested that power in them, to propagandise them by expanding state control over the media, and to silence dissent.
To uncover the dark side of their time in power, its enduring impact on New Zealand, and the disturbing global political and ideological trends it aligned with, I spoke to Sean Plunket, a journalist with decades of experience covering New Zealand politics. Sean is the editor and founder of The Platform, New Zealand’s foremost independent media site.
LIKE ❤️ & SUBSCRIBE 👉🏼 https://www.youtube.com/@alexblythnz
& don’t be afraid to share your own opinions in the comments 🗣️👉🏼
—Follow Me—
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexblythnz
X: https://www.twitter.com/alexblythnz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexblythnz
—Follow Sean—
Website: https://theplatform.kiwi
X: https://www.twitter.com/SeanPlunket
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplatformnz
YouTube: http://youtube.com/@theplatformnz
The Not Afraid to Share your Opinions Podcast, Ep. 4
More episodes 👉🏼 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLah3VohHvOwgZkvPrQjJ-4n_0lBrWr409
—Timestamps—
[00:00] Intro
[01:21] Jacinda's Rise to Power
[11:17] Her Personality and Ideology
[15:12] The Ongoing Culture War
[20:24] How Government got Control of the Media
[26:59] Jacinda: The Salesman for New Leftist Fascism
[35:12] What's she up to now?
[36:46] The Post-Jacinda Political Situation
#jacindaardern #authoritarianism #authoritarian #wokeness #newzealand #politics #cancelculture #marxism #woke #politician #politicalanalysis #news