It was during the Christmas break that Ardern searched her soul to stay in the job, but she explained in the press conference that she had "not been able to do that."
Speaking at the Labour Party's traditional January caucus meeting in Napier on Thursday, Ardern went on to say that at the end of the day she was human. "'I am human. Politicians are human. We give all we can for as long as we can - and then it's time. And for me, it's time."
Ardern had navigated choppy waters as she led New Zealand through the Covid pandemic and Christchurch mosque massacre.