The young prime ministers of New Zealand and Finland bravely rejected a rather sexist question put to them at a press conference. Jacinda Ardern and Sanna Marin held a press conference in Auckland yesterday after their first face-to-face meeting and were questioned by a reporter from New Zealand radio Newstalk ZB about the reason for the bilateral talks.
“A lot of people will wonder if you’re just dating because you’re of a similar age and have a lot in common. Or can Kiwis really expect to see more deals between our two countries?” asked the reporter. “We see each other because we are prime ministers,” the Finnish prime minister replied tersely. “I wonder if anyone has ever asked Barack Obama and John Key if they met because they’re very similar ages,” Ardern repeated, citing the former US president and former New Zealand prime minister, who are five apart days were born.
“It’s true we have a higher proportion of men in politics, that’s a reality, but the fact that two women meet cannot simply be because of gender,” she added, arguing the meeting was “an opportunity to talk about economic opportunities between us two countries. It’s our job to advance them, regardless of our gender.” Ardern then spoke of the responsibility she feels as women leaders to women “who face oppression and violations of the most basic human rights,” calling Iran a ” good example” for these situations. Marin spoke of a shared commitment to equal opportunities “to ensure that every woman and girl in the world has the same rights and opportunities as men”.