Editor's Pick: Jacinda Ardern stays at the helm in New Zealand

(The Editor's Pick is a new newsletter from The Hindu that provides a snapshot of the most important stories from today's edition of our newspaper, along with a note from our top editors on why we chose to give prominence to these stories.)

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been reelected in a landslide victory, with her Labour party set to form a single-party government in the island nation after several decades. The previous government had been a coalition of the Centre-Left Labour primarily with the Centre-Right New Zealand First Party, which has won no seats this time.

This victory is being seen as a reward for the 40-year-old Ms. Ardern's decisive response to the coronavirus pandemic. She put the country in a tight lockdown early on in the pandemic when many countries were still figuring out their approach. Helped by the fact that it is an island nation with a population of only 5 million, New Zealand has been able to keep its cornovirus deaths to 25 so far. Her response, which centred on acting fast and following scientific advice, is seen as the diametric opposite of President Trump in the U.S., which has stayed on top in the infections tally. She was also lauded for her response to last year's Christchurch mosque shootings by a white supremacist that killed 51 people. She banned lethal semi-automatic weapons after that massacre; another counterpoint to the U.S. where gun rights remain a divisive issue even after several mass shootings.

These actions had made Ms. Ardern an icon for liberals and Leftists across the globe. The fact that she had a child while in office made her a role model for working women as well. Now, her domestic electorate has put their stamp of approval on her policies. This overwhelming win for a young leader who has also become a global face is what makes this story important.