Jacinda Ardern will be New Zealand’s first prime minister to give birth while in office
The Labour Party premier has shrugged off the ‘trailblazer’ label, saying many women before her have juggled careers and parenting
Wellington — New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expecting her first baby, and will be the country’s first leader to give birth while in office. The 37-year-old, who was sworn in last October, made global headlines when she slapped down pre-election questions over whether she intended to start a family, insisting pregnancy had no bearing on a woman’s career opportunities. Ardern was all smiles on Friday as she appeared with partner Clarke Gayford at their home to announce the "unexpected but exciting" news of their first baby. "Clark and I are really exited to share … that in June we are looking forward to welcoming our first child," she told reporters. "We still have to get used to saying that out loud because we’ve been keeping that to ourselves for quite a long time." The charismatic leader enjoyed a rapid rise to the top ranks of politics, winning office last year just months after taking the helm of the centre-left Labour Party. "We thought 2017 was a big year!" she tw...
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