Why everyone's talking about New Zealand's next Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
Who is Jacinda Ardern?
That's the question running through the minds of many after the 37-year-old was elected the new Prime Minister of New Zealand on Thursday.
Though Ardern has has been active in New Zealand politics for decades, she's definitely not your average politician.
Before she officially takes office in what she calls "honor and a privilege," per The Associated Press, here are five fast facts you'd ought to know about the soon-to-be leader.
She got an early start in politics
Not only is Ardern on her way to becoming the youngest woman to lead as New Zealand's Prime Minister for 150 years, but she's been a member of the Labour Party since she was 17 years old.
NBD. Most people were just awkwardly trying to survive high school while Ardern was setting the stage for a historical career in politics.
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As CNN notes, after years as a member, Ardern took over the role of Labour Party leader from Andrew Little back in August.
She's not afraid to speak out about sexism
During Ardern's impressive career she's been asked many questions, but when faced with sexist behavior she's shown she's not afraid to call people out.
In fact, just one day after becoming leader of the Labour Party the politician shut down repeated questions relating to women in the workplace such as herself starting families.
"It is totally unacceptable in 2017 to say women should have to answer that question in the workplace," Ardern said to Mark Richardson on The AM Show. "It is a woman's decision about when they choose to have children. It should not predetermine when they are given a job or are given opportunities."
She likes to DJ
When Ardern gets a break from work she enjoys mixing beats in her spare time.
According to New Zealand publication The Spinoff, Ardern has performed her fair share of DJ gigs, including a set at Auckland's Thunderdome during the 2014 Laneway Festival.
She's also shared photos of herself spinning on Instagram, but bad news for the Jimmy Barnes fans out there: she doesn't have his music on vinyl.
She has a cat with with extra toes
Having a cat is cool, but having a polydactyl cat that was born with more than the regulation number of toes and can hold objects? Come on.
Ardern isn't shy about posting pictures of her feline just chilling, occasionally holding her glasses. And like every cat mom who keeps it real out there, after a long day she sometimes looks at her cat and thinks, "we should all be afraid."
She's killin' it with the millennial crowd
As The New York Times noted, shortly after Ardern became Labour Party leader she began capturing the attention of young New Zealanders, ultimately sparking what became known as "Jacindamania." I suppose that's like the political version of Bieber Fever.
A quick scan of Ardern's social media accounts also showed that she appreciates whiskey, has a "Feminist" t-shirt, and also a good sense of humor when people deface her posters.
Right now she sounds like prime millennial BFF material, so it'll be interesting to see what fresh new ideas she brings to New Zealand's government.
Topics Politics
Nicole is a Senior Editor at Mashable. She primarily covers entertainment and digital culture trends, and in her free time she can be found watching TV, sending voice notes, or going viral on Twitter for admiring knitwear. You can follow her on Twitter @nicolemichele5.
