As New Zealand continues to battle with the ongoing pandemic, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s popularity has dropped to its lowest level since 2017. Her support has now dropped by four points to 35 per cent. However, she remains the country’s preferred Prime Minister by a significant margin.
Also, National leader Christopher Luxon has made substantial gains by 13 points to 17 per cent.
While speaking to 1 News, Ardern said, “the latest results were “still a really strong showing for us as government despite some really hard calls having been made, but calls that have put us in the best possible position to continue to take on this pandemic.”
She further added, “When I reflect on the last six months, it has been a really hard period for New Zealand and we have had to make some really hard decisions, but those are still decisions I absolutely stand by.”
Earlier, in November, Ardern’s popularity dipped in two polls. Although the poll represented Labour’s worst polling result in over a year, it still placed the party firmly ahead of the opposition National party.
The new poll further highlighted how many citizens are feeling negative about the economic outlook as 49 per cent thought that the economy would get worse.
(With inputs from agencies)
