On Friday, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern paid rich tributes to Germany’s outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel, praising her leadership of Europe’s largest economy that lasted for 16 years and describing her as a ‘very good person’ and a ‘true leader’.
The leaders, who are seen as role models for women in international policymaking, virtually met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where Ardern fondly remembered an earlier meeting between the pair in Germany.
Ardern said that it was not common to have come from a small island nation to be hobnobbing with someone of such heft who listens to and is interested in the opinions of a humble Newzealander, in the world of international diplomacy.
She added that the qualities of Merkel such as constant engagement with the world, thoughtfulness and willingness to hear the perspectives of others, reflected a true leader and also of a very good person.
Merkel, who is 67 years old, has established herself as an icon, guiding Germany through landmark events such as the global financial crisis, the eurozone downturn and the COVID-19 pandemic, since 2005 when she first took to the office. She is regarded as a champion of European integration.
The 41-year old Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, became the youngest Prime Minister of New Zealand when she took to office in 2017 and has since received widespread acclaim for her handling of the pandemic, enacting gun laws and cracking down on extremism in the aftermath of mass shootings and assembling one of the most diverse cabinets in the whole world.
Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron sent Merkel off in style, praising her for keeping Europe united during her tenure.
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