WELLINGTON, New Zealand — As citizens of a small and isolated nation, New Zealanders often seek validation from abroad. By that measure, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern returned triumphant this week from a trip to Europe. Ardern met with the leaders of Germany and France and got support for a free trade agreement. For many New Zealanders, an image defined the trip: Ardern wearing an indigenous Maori cloak and smiling as she and her partner Clarke Gayford arrived at Britain’s Buckingham Palace. But back home, Ardern faces political pressures.

Source: National Post April 24, 2018 04:19 UTC