New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern makes final appeal for votes before election

With just a day left for New Zealand general elections, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ended her campaign trail with one last public appearance in Auckland. Ardern, who has said that she would quit politics if she loses the upcoming elections, was welcomed by people as she made a whistle-stop tour of malls in the country’s biggest city, as per The Guardian reports. In contrast, it was a more muted day for Ardern's opponent Judith Collins who made appearances at selected public events.

Read: New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern Hopes To Win Election For Her Successful COVID-19 Response

Polls show Ardern leading

In what seems to be exciting elections, last-minute polls show Colin’s National Party behind Ardern’s Labour party in polls. As per the News Colmar Brunton poll, the Labour party had fallen one point to 46 percent. National party had also fallen by one to 31 percent. Meanwhile, centre-left Greens and lIbertarian ACT both were predicted to have eight percent of the total votes.   

Ardern, who in 2017 became the youngest female Prime Minister in the world, has been showered with plaudits for her quick and reaction to the pandemic. Taking the hard path, the New Zealand leader imposes a level 4 lockdown even before the virus has spread in the country.

Read: Jacinda Ardern Casts Ballot Ahead Of General Election

Under Ardern's leadership, New Zealand became the first country to declare itself COVID-19 free. Earlier this week, speaking at a campaign rally in capital Wellington, Ardern is reported to have said that although there isn't any “playbook” for the pandemic, the country went “hard and early” and eventually curbed the spread of COVID-19. 

She had also visited her supporters in the Labour Party dominant regions and encouraged them to cast their votes in the general elections. According to the reports, Ardern was surrounded by supporters during her visit to a market in Otara, a southern Auckland suburb.

(Image Credits - AP)

Read: Jacinda Vs Judith: NZ Voters Prepare For The Polls

Read: New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern Encourages Supporters To Vote In Upcoming Election