New Zealand PM John Key announces resignation

Key said Monday he was resigning after eight years as prime minister to spend more time with his family, as well as to give the government and his party time to rally around a new leader before next year’s elections.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has made a habit of doing the unexpected during his political career, and he stayed true to form on Monday when he abruptly resigned.

Following the news, Bill English, who is both deputy prime minister and finance minister in Key’s cabinet, said he is deciding whether to stand for the leadership of the ruling centre-right National Party.

The center-right National Party leader said he would support his deputy and finance minister Bill English to become the next prime minister.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce wouldn’t say who he was backing for the job ahead of the decision next week.

As New Zealand National Party Chairman, Key won the general elections in November 2008, becoming the country’s 38th prime minister.

“I’ve given everything I could for this job, a job that I cherish and a country that I love”, he said.

Mr English told reporters yesterday that “I’ll be talking to caucus and family today and tonight”.

English has been leader before and took National to a drubbing at the polls in 2002 but says he’s “older and wiser” and got fewer distractions.

We wish All the Best to John Key.

Until his abrupt announcement, with his high popularity ratings, his party was a clear favorite to win the next year’s general election again.

But on the whole, these quirks seemed only to endear him to middle New Zealand, which warmed to his easygoing nature and lack of pretension.

Whatever happens, Key will be his usual relaxed self, looking forward to having more family time and getting ready for life after politics.

Key was prime minister during the 2011 quake in the city of Christchurch, which killed 185 people.

“The fiscal viability of current NZ Superannuation would potentially be more open to debate, as John Key has long said he would resign rather than change the current scheme”.

“I feel like I’m going out on top”, Key said, pointing to spending more time with his wife Bronagh and children Stephanie and Max as a key consideration.

Key said his colleague had “grown a great deal” since then.

In October, New Zealand reported its second straight budget surplus, helped by an economy growing at 3.6 per cent in the second quarter.

The story ‘Say it ain’t so, bro!’: Malcolm Turnbull rues the departure of New Zealand’s John Key first appeared on The Sydney Morning Herald. English had been leader for barely a year and lasted barely one more before being ousted by former central bank governor Don Brash.