Summarised by Centrist
A British journalist has branded Jacinda Ardern a “woke authoritarian” and an “elite people’s princess” while suggesting she is a front-runner to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Writing in The Telegraph, Ella Whelan argued that Ardern would be a “shoo-in” for the UN’s top job when António Guterres steps down in 2026, describing her political legacy as “right-on, undemocratic and unpopular.”
The article, titled ‘We still can’t get rid of Jacinda Ardern’, accused her of embodying a polished, globalist style that appeals to elites worried “Western publics are getting a little too populist and unpredictable.”
The Telegraph piece coincided with speculation from Bloomberg and Wikipedia listings naming Ardern as a “speculative” candidate. Ardern has not publicly commented, and attempts to contact her were unsuccessful.
According to Reuters, the UN Security Council and General Assembly will begin soliciting nominations by the end of 2025. The process requires backing from the five permanent Security Council members, the US, UK, China, France, and Russia.
In contrast, a recent documentary, Prime Minister, was described by The Hollywood Reporter as “so persuasive it might make you wish you could vote for her.”
The United States has already indicated it wants a Secretary-General who can “return the UN to its founding purpose”, a line observers say could make Washington wary of another leader steeped in progressive politics.
Editor’s note: Centrist Publishing is set to release Jacinda: The Untold Stories, an unauthorised biography that aims to tell the real story of Jacinda Ardern, her time in power and the legacy she leaves behind, as told by journalist David Cohen with Rebecca Keillor. Based on more than 100 interviews and two years of research, the book offers an independent account of one of New Zealand’s most polarising political figures.Click here to purchase your copy now.
Image: Nevada Halbert
