New Zealand’s ruling Labour Party has nominated Chris Hipkins to succeed Jacinda Ardern as the country’s prime minister after Ardern announced on Thursday that she would be stepping down from the top role.
Hipkins, 44, currently serves as the education minister and previously led the country’s COVID-19 response. He is expected to receive formal endorsement from his Labour Party colleagues on Sunday for the takeover.
“There is still a bit to go in this process. There is still a meeting tomorrow and a vote, and I don’t want to get too far ahead of that,” Hipkins said at a media briefing on Saturday after the party named him their sole nominee….