List of Prime Ministers of New Zealand (1856-2023)
New PM of New Zealand: Chris Hipkins has been sworn in as the 41st Prime Minister of New Zealand. He is a strong leader in New Zealand politics. He played an important role in health management during the Covid-19 epidemic.
Chris Hipkins will remain in the post of PM till the month of October this year, after which general elections are proposed in the country. He has become the PM of the country at a time when there are many challenges at the global level. At the same time, there are no fewer challenges for the Labor Party.
The previous Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern recently announced that she is resigning, and confirmed a national election for October of the year 2023.
Ardern stated she “no longer had enough in the tank” to do the job. “It’s time,” she said at the party’s annual caucus meeting on Thursday,
“I’m leaving, because with such a privileged role comes responsibility. The responsibility is to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not. I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It’s that simple,” she said.
It is confirmed that her term as the prime minister will conclude no later than 7 February, and she will play her role as an MP until the election later this year.
What does the Prime Minister of New Zealand do?
The parliamentary government form of New Zealand on the British model where the head of government is the prime minister.
The concerned candidate is generally the leader of the governing political party in Parliament and the leader of the cabinet.
the governor-general appoints the prime minister, but by convention, the prime minister must have the confidence of the House of Representatives. The prime minister is always a member of parliament.
While previously the titles premier and first minister were used to refer to each of the principal ministers until 1869 when premier became customary.
The title prime minister was first used formally in the Schedule of the Civil List Act of 1873 in New Zealand. It wasn't used as an official title until Richard John Seddon, in early 1893.
Though some historians consider James FitzGerald as the first Prime Minister, neither he nor his successor was not officially given the title. The first Prime Minister of New Zealand was Henry Swell who served in the year 1856
Nine have been known to hold the position for more than one period while Richard Seddon was the Prime Minister for thirteen years between 1893 and 1906, and held the office for the longest term.
Edward Stafford, who assumed office at age 37, was the youngest prime minister and Walter Nash was the oldest who left office at the age of 78.
There have been three prime ministers who are women, including The incumbent prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who assumed office on 26 October 2017.
#ChrisHipkins sworn in as 41st Prime Minister of #NewZealand. pic.twitter.com/cR2aepCuu5
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) January 25, 2023
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Here is the chronologically ordered list of the Prime Ministers of New Zealand throughout history including premiers and first ministers from the earliest to the most recent.
List of Prime Ministers of New Zealand (1856-2023)
| No. |
Name Constituency (Birth–Death) |
Election (Parliament) |
Term of office |
Political party |
Government |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office |
Left office |
Time in office |
|||||
| 1 |
The Honourable Henry Sewell MP for Christchurch, Canterbury (1807–1879) |
1855 (2nd) |
7 May 1856 |
20 May 1856 |
14 days |
Independent |
Sewell |
| 2 |
The Right Honourable Sir William Fox
MP for Wanganui and Rangitikei, Wellington (1812–1893) |
– (2nd) |
20 May 1856 |
2 June 1856 |
14 days |
Independent |
Fox I |
| 3 |
The Right Honourable Sir Edward Stafford
MP for Nelson, Nelson Province (1819–1901) |
– (2nd) |
2 June 1856 |
12 July 1861 |
5 years, 41 days |
Independent |
Stafford I |
| (2) |
The Right Honourable Sir William Fox
MP for Rangitikei, Wellington (1812–1893) |
1860–1861 (3rd) |
12 July 1861 |
6 August 1862 |
1 year, 26 days |
Independent |
Fox II |
| 4 |
The Honourable Alfred Domett MP for Nelson, Nelson Province (1811–1887) |
– (3rd) |
6 August 1862 |
30 October 1863 |
1 year, 86 days |
Independent |
Domett |
| 5 |
The Honourable Sir Frederick Whitaker
Councillor (1812–1891) |
– (3rd) |
30 October 1863 |
24 November 1864 |
1 year, 26 days |
Independent |
Whitaker–Fox |
| 6 |
The Honourable Sir Frederick Weld
MP for Cheviot, Canterbury (1823–1891) |
– (3rd) |
24 November 1864 |
16 October 1865 |
327 days |
Independent |
Weld |
| (3) |
The Right Honourable Sir Edward Stafford
MP for Nelson, Nelson Province until 1868 MP for Timaru, Canterbury from 1868 (1819–1901) |
– (3rd) 1866 (4th) |
16 October 1865 |
28 June 1869 |
3 years, 256 days |
Independent |
Stafford II |
| No. |
Name Constituency (Birth–Death) |
Election (Parliament) |
Term of office |
Political party |
||
| Took office |
Left office |
Time in office |
||||
| (2) |
The Right Honourable Sir William Fox
MP for Rangitikei, Wellington (1812–1893) |
– (4th) 1871 (5th) |
28 June 1869 |
10 September 1872 |
3 years, 75 days |
Independent |
| (3) |
The Right Honourable Sir Edward Stafford
MP for Timaru, Canterbury (1819–1901) |
– (5th) |
10 September 1872 |
11 October 1872 |
32 days |
Independent |
| 7 |
The Right Honourable George Waterhouse Councillor (1824–1906) |
– (5th) |
11 October 1872 |
3 March 1873 |
144 days |
Independent |
| (2) |
The Right Honourable Sir William Fox
MP for Rangitikei, Wellington (1812–1893) |
– (5th) |
3 March 1873 |
8 April 1873 |
37 days |
Independent |
| 8 |
The Right Honourable Sir Julius Vogel
MP for Auckland East, Auckland (1835–1899) |
– (5th) |
8 April 1873 |
6 July 1875 |
2 years, 90 days |
Independent |
| 9 |
The Honourable Daniel Pollen Councillor (1813–1896) |
– (5th) |
6 July 1875 |
15 February 1876 |
225 days |
Independent |
| (8) |
The Right Honourable Sir Julius Vogel
MP for Wanganui, Wellington (1835–1899) |
1875–1876 (6th) |
15 February 1876 |
1 September 1876 |
200 days |
Independent |
| 10 |
The Honourable Sir Harry Atkinson
MP for Egmont, Taranaki. provinces abolished on 1 November 1876 (1831–1892) |
– (6th) |
1 September 1876 |
13 October 1877 |
1 year, 43 days |
Independent |
| 11 |
The Right Honourable Sir George Grey
MP for Thames (1812–1898) |
– (6th) |
13 October 1877 |
8 October 1879 |
1 year, 361 days |
Independent |
| 12 |
The Honourable Sir John Hall
MP for Selwyn (1824–1907) |
1879 (7th) 1881 (8th) |
8 October 1879 |
21 April 1882 |
2 years, 196 days |
Independent |
| (5) |
The Honourable Sir Frederick Whitaker
Councillor (1812–1891) |
– (8th) |
21 April 1882 |
25 September 1883 |
1 year, 158 days |
Independent |
| (10) |
The Honourable Sir Harry Atkinson
MP for Egmont (1831–1892) |
– (8th) |
25 September 1883 |
16 August 1884 |
327 days |
Independent |
| 13 |
The Right Honourable Robert Stout
MP for Dunedin East (1844–1930) |
1884 (9th) |
16 August 1884 |
28 August 1884 |
13 days |
Independent |
| (10) |
The Honourable Sir Harry Atkinson
MP for Egmont (1831–1892) |
– (9th) |
28 August 1884 |
3 September 1884 |
7 days |
Independent |
| (13) |
The Right Honourable Sir Robert Stout
MP for Dunedin East (1844–1930) |
– (9th) |
3 September 1884 |
8 October 1887 |
3 years, 36 days |
Independent |
| (10) |
The Honourable Sir Harry Atkinson
MP for Egmont (1831–1892) |
1887 (10th) |
8 October 1887 |
24 January 1891 |
3 years, 109 days |
Independent |
| 14 |
The Right Honourable John Ballance MP for Wanganui (1839–1893) |
1890 (11th) |
24 January 1891 |
27 April 1893 |
2 years, 94 days |
Liberal |
| 15 |
The Right Honourable Richard Seddon MP for Westland (1845–1906) |
– (11th) 1893 (12th) 1896 (13th) 1899 (14th) 1902 (15th) 1905 (16th) |
1 May 1893 |
10 June 1906 |
13 years, 41 days |
Liberal |
| 16 |
The Honourable William Hall-Jones KCMG MP for Timaru (1851–1936) |
– (16th) |
21 June 1906 |
6 August 1906 |
47 days |
Liberal |
| 17 |
The Right Honourable Sir Joseph Ward BtGCMG MP for Awarua (1856–1930) |
– (16th) 1908 (17th) 1911 (18th) |
6 August 1906 |
12 March 1912 |
5 years, 220 days |
Liberal |
| 18 |
The Right Honourable Thomas Mackenzie GCMG MP for Egmont (1853–1930) |
– (18th) |
28 March 1912 |
10 July 1912 |
105 days |
Liberal |
| 19 |
The Right Honourable William Massey MP for Franklin (1856–1925) |
– (18th) 1914 (19th) 1919 (20th) 1922 (21st) |
10 July 1912 |
10 May 1925 |
12 years, 305 days |
Reform |
| 20 |
The Right Honourable Francis Bell GCMGKC Councillor (1851–1936) |
– (21st) |
14 May 1925 |
30 May 1925 |
17 days |
Reform |
| 21 |
The Right Honourable Gordon Coates MC* MP for Kaipara (1878–1943) |
– (21st) 1925 (22nd) |
30 May 1925 |
10 December 1928 |
3 years, 195 days |
Reform |
| (17) |
The Right Honourable Sir Joseph Ward BtGCMG MP for Invercargill (1856–1930) |
1928 (23rd) |
10 December 1928 |
28 May 1930 |
1 year, 170 days |
United |
| 22 |
The Right Honourable George Forbes MP for Hurunui (1869–1947) |
– (23rd) |
28 May 1930 |
6 December 1935 |
5 years, 193 days |
United |
| 1931 (24th) |
||||||
| 23 |
The Right Honourable Michael Joseph Savage MP for Auckland West (1872–1940) |
1935 (25th) 1938 (26th) |
6 December 1935 |
27 March 1940 |
4 years, 113 days |
Labour |
| 24 |
The Right Honourable Peter Fraser CH MP for Wellington Central until 1946 MP for Brooklyn from 1946 (1884–1950) |
– (26th) 1943 (27th) 1946 (28th) |
1 April 1940 |
13 December 1949 |
9 years, 257 days |
Labour |
| 25 |
The Right Honourable Sidney Holland GCMGCH MP for Fendalton (1893–1961) |
1949 (29th) 1951 (30th) 1954 (31st) |
13 December 1949 |
20 September 1957 |
7 years, 282 days |
National |
| 26 |
The Right Honourable Keith Holyoake MP for Pahiatua (1904–1983) |
– (31st) |
20 September 1957 |
12 December 1957 |
84 days |
National |
| 27 |
The Right Honourable Walter Nash GCMGCH MP for Hutt (1882–1968) |
1957 (32nd) |
12 December 1957 |
12 December 1960 |
3 years, 1 day |
Labour |
| (26) |
The Right Honourable Sir Keith Holyoake
MP for Pahiatua (1904–1983) |
1960 (33rd) 1963 (34th) 1966 (35th) 1969 (36th) |
12 December 1960 |
7 February 1972 |
11 years, 58 days |
National |
| 28 |
The Right Honourable Jack Marshall
MP for Karori (1912–1988) |
– (36th) |
7 February 1972 |
8 December 1972 |
306 days |
National |
| 29 |
The Right Honourable Norman Kirk MP for Sydenham (1923–1974) |
1972 (37th) |
8 December 1972 |
31 August 1974 |
1 year, 267 days |
Labour |
| — |
The Right Honourable Hugh Watt JP MP for Onehunga (1912–1980) Acting prime minister |
– (37th) |
31 August 1974 |
6 September 1974 |
7 days |
Labour |
| 30 |
The Right Honourable Bill Rowling
MP for Tasman (1927–1995) |
– (37th) |
6 September 1974 |
12 December 1975 |
1 year, 98 days |
Labour |
| 31 |
The Right Honourable Sir Robert Muldoon
MP for Tamaki (1921–1992) |
1975 (38th) 1978 (39th) 1981 (40th) |
12 December 1975 |
26 July 1984 |
8 years, 228 days |
National |
| 32 |
The Right Honourable David Lange
MP for Mangere (1942–2005) |
1984 (41st) 1987 (42nd) |
26 July 1984 |
8 August 1989 |
5 years, 14 days |
Labour |
| 33 |
The Right Honourable Geoffrey Palmer
MP for Christchurch Central (born 1942) |
– (42nd) |
8 August 1989 |
4 September 1990 |
1 year, 28 days |
Labour |
| 34 |
The Right Honourable Mike Moore
MP for Christchurch North (1949–2020) |
– (42nd) |
4 September 1990 |
2 November 1990 |
60 days |
Labour |
| 35 |
The Right Honourable Jim Bolger
MP for King Country (born 1935) |
1990 (43rd) 1993 (44th) 1996 (45th) |
2 November 1990 |
8 December 1997 |
7 years, 37 days |
National |
| 36 |
The Right Honourable Jenny Shipley
MP for Rakaia (born 1952) |
– (45th) |
8 December 1997 |
10 December 1999 |
2 years, 3 days |
National |
| 37 |
The Right Honourable Helen Clark
MP for Mount Albert (born 1950) |
1999 (46th) 2002 (47th) 2005 (48th) |
10 December 1999 |
19 November 2008 |
8 years, 346 days |
Labour |
| 38 |
The Right Honourable John Key
MP for Helensville (born 1961) |
2008 (49th) 2011 (50th) 2014 (51st) |
19 November 2008 |
12 December 2016 |
8 years 24 days |
National |
| 39 |
The Right Honourable Bill English
List MP (born 1961) |
– (51st) |
12 December 2016 |
26 October 2017 |
319 days |
National |
| 40 |
The Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern MP for Mount Albert (born 1980) |
2017 (52nd) 2020 (53rd) |
26 October 2017 |
25 January 2023 |
5 years, 92 days |
Labour |
| 41 |
The Right Honourable Chris Hipkins MP for Remutaka (born 1978) |
– (53rd) |
25 January 2023 |
Incumbent |
1 day |
|
After the elections in October 2023, the citizens of New Zealand would have a new Prime Minister to head their democracy
Ardern was the world’s youngest female head of government when she was elected prime minister in 2017 at age 37.
She not only led New Zealand through the Covid-19 pandemic but also handled major disasters including the terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch, and the White Island volcanic eruption.
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