She stated that she "no longer had enough in the tank" to fulfil the demands of the premiership,[2][4] and that she would not be seeking re-election at 2023 New Zealand general election (the date of which she announced in the same speech).

[22] At the election, Ardern's leadership increased her party's seats from 32 to 46, and formed a minority government in coalition with NZ First and with support from the Greens.

[32] Some protesters hung nooses from trees and made threats to lynch politicians, including Ardern, and also gay Finance Minister Grant Robertson and pregnant MP Steph Lewis.

[33][34][35] Antisemitism was reported to be "rife" within the protests,[36] with the Parliamentary grounds vandalised with swastikas, protestors misappropriating yellow stars, and messages targeting Jews written on car windows.

[16] The effects of the 2022 COVID-19 induced recession also contributed to an unfavourable perception of Labour, and Ardern personally was blamed by many anti-vaccine protestors in its wake.

[26] In August 2022, a 1News/Kantar poll, taken as the cost of living soars in New Zealand, marked Ardern's worst result in the preferred prime minister stakes since her tenure as leader began.

"[44] She also announced that she would leave Parliament in April, a date sufficiently close to the impending election so as not to trigger a by-election for her electorate of Mount Albert.

Writing for The Guardian, commentator Henry Cooke wrote that while the human reasons for Ardern's resignation were understandable, the political consequences were "confounding", and imperiled her party and her personal legacy.

He concluded that she remained Labour’s "best weapon" against National Party leader Christopher Luxon, who he claimed drew largely apathetic responses from the public.

Cooke added that according to data from the New Zealand Election Study the majority of voters who switched from National to Labour between 2017 and 2020 (16% of the electorate in the latter) had "overwhelmingly strong feelings of adoration" for Ardern.

[49][50] Many expressed their view that Ardern's resignation was caused in part by the abuse she had suffered, which reached levels unprecedented for a New Zealand prime minister.

Former prime minister Helen Clark said that "the pressures on Prime Ministers are always great, but in this era of social media, clickbait, and 24/7 media cycles, Jacinda has faced a level of hatred and vitriol which in my experience is unprecedented in our country.. our society could now usefully reflect on whether it wants to continue to tolerate the excessive polarisation which is making politics an increasingly unattractive calling.

She said that "it is a sad day for politics where an outstanding leader has been driven from office for constant personalisation and vilification", expressing concern for Ardern's whānau and personal safety.

The New Zealand Herald reported that she would need "unprecedented" police protection "well beyond the end of her time as Prime Minister", even as new figures show the extent of the abuse she faced from the far-right.

[52] The Herald’s own investigation into the online targeting of Ardern discovered threats of rape and murder, her portrayal as demonic or "evil", and calls to execute her as a traitor or "war criminal".

[52] Kate Hannah, director of the anti-misinformation Disinformation Project, claimed that the abuse was prolific on mainstream social media channels, particularly on Facebook.

She stated that misogynistic online hatred of Ardern, which began after she condemned the far-right in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings, had become a dangerous threat for New Zealand's democracy.

"[52] Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd said Ardern "provided a masterclass in international public diplomacy" and 'rewrote the rulebook" for world leaders.

The election spawned much press attention, as Ardern's abrupt resignation was seen as endangering an already unpopular Labour Party's chances at reelection later that year.

[68][69] The lack of a direct vote was seen as evidence of Labour's intention to have an orderly transition, as opposed to the multiple changes to the National Party leadership since their loss of power.

[77] In her last public speech, Ardern said leading the country was "the greatest privilege of my life", and that she "[leaves] with a greater love and affection for Aotearoa New Zealand and its people than when I started.

"[78] The following morning, Ardern left the Beehive for Government House, Wellington, where she privately tendered her resignation to the Governor-General, Dame Cindy Kiro.