Jacinda Arden most popular New Zealand PM in a century as approval rating surges

Almost 92 per cent support strict lockdown, poll finds

Jacinda Ardern's popularity reached 59.5 per cent, up 20.8 from the previous poll (Mark Mitchell - Pool/Getty Images)

Jacinda Ardern has become New Zealand’s most popular prime minister in a century, a poll has revealed.

Ms Ardern’s Labour party jumped 14 points to 56.5 per cent in the first poll since the coronavirus outbreak – the highest for any party ever.

Meanwhile the biggest party in parliament, the Nationals, dropped to 30.6 per cent after losing 12.7 points.

Ms Ardern’s popularity sat at 59.5 per cent, up 20.8 points on the previous poll and the highest score for any leader in the history of the Newshub-Reid Research poll.

“It speaks to the work we’ve jointly done,” Ms Ardern told Newshub. ”I just happen to have had the humble and privileged opportunity to be leading at this time.”

The poll also questioned the public’s sentiment in the final days of the country’s strict level three lockdown, finding almost 92 per cent of respondents said it was the right call.

New Zealand implemented harsh “level four” restrictions for more than a month.

The nation has now moved to “level two”, and continued to enforce strict social distancing measures on many of its citizens as businesses including shopping centres, cinemas and cafes reopened last Thursday.

The rate of new cases have slowed dramatically, with 1,499 infected in total and 21 dead.

New Zealanders coined the phrase “Jacinda-mania” in light of Ms Ardern’s rise to become the country’s youngest prime minister and third woman to hold the office.

The Pacific nation will also launch a contact-tracing app on Wednesday to help people track their movements, but the government said the data would not be shared with anyone besides the user.