The inappropriate question a reporter asked NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has faced a never-ending barrage of questions about her personal life since her unexpected pregnancy and quick rise to the top.
An interview with the BBC was surprisingly no exception.
As reporter Victoria Derbyshire asked Ardern whether or not she had any plans to propose to her partner Clarke Gayford, the NZ Prime Minister was surprised and laughed loudly at the question.
“I would not ask, no.”
Derbyshire didn't seem satisfied with the answer given and pushed forward, asking if Ardern was a feminist.
“Oh absolutely, absolutely I am a feminist. But no, I want to put him through the pain and torture of having to agonise about that question himself, that’s letting him off the hook, absolutely not,” Ardern elaborated.
"I want to put [my partner] through the torture and pain of having to agonise about that question himself"
New Zealand @jacindaardern tells us she is a feminist, but she'd never be the one to pop the questionhttps://t.co/MCAoKLpCGK #VictoriaLIVE pic.twitter.com/rfbSp4NOmf— Victoria Derbyshire (@VictoriaLIVE) 21 January 2019
Many New Zealanders have been outraged by the question, as Ardern is currently on a tour of the United Kingdom and Europe.
New Zealand-based political commentator Bryce Edwards spoke to The Guardian about the incident.
“Such a question is actually very surprising, and the prime minister’s reaction suggested that she was entirely surprised by it."
Edwards added, “Certainly a lot of New Zealanders would see such probing of the prime minister about her relationship with her partner and her plans for marriage as being inappropriate.”
What do you think? Was the question out of line? Let us know in the comments.