Jacinda Ardern likes to remind us she’s human. That’s true. But so was Hitler, and the comparison is closer than most dare to admit.
Her rule over New Zealand during the Covid years was authoritarian in the extreme, leaving behind fear, economic ruin, and a society traumatised.
Her actions didn’t just disrupt lives, they mirrored the playbook of history’s worst tyrants. Here’s how Ardern’s governance echoed Hitler’s.
Totalitarian control: Ardern claimed to be the single source of truth. Every announcement, every mandate, every media interview reinforced her position as the ultimate authority. No debate, no dissent, no alternative narratives were allowed to exist without being demonised. There were certain questions that the media were not allowed to ask.
Punishing dissenters: Those who questioned her Covid mandates or refused vaccination faced severe repercussions. Losing your job, being shamed in public, or being vilified online as a cooker or anti-vaxxer became commonplace. Ordinary Kiwis were treated like enemies of the state, echoing Hitler’s brutal treatment of anyone who dared oppose him.
Propaganda and narrative control: Ardern controlled the messaging with precision. She decided what was “true,” what was safe, and what was acceptable to say. Anyone who contradicted her version of reality was labelled dangerous, untrustworthy, or a threat to public health, echoing the manipulation and fear tactics used by Nazi propaganda.
Forced compliance: Vaccine mandates left citizens with impossible choices: vaccinate or lose your livelihood. Some took the jab under duress; others refused and suffered economically, socially, and emotionally. This is the same coercion dictators have historically used to maintain power.
Use of enforcement for obedience: The NZ Police acted like her personal SS squads, patrolling businesses, homes, and public spaces, enforcing rules that were often arbitrary and cruel. Families and communities were treated as subjects to be controlled rather than citizens with rights.
Economic devastation: Small businesses were decimated, entire industries collapsed, and ordinary families were left to struggle with mortgages, bills, and debts while the government promised safety and delivered ruin. Fear was weaponised, and survival became a privilege for the compliant.
Psychological warfare: Constant lockdowns, restrictions, and media messaging kept citizens in a state of stress, anxiety, and obedience. People were trained to fear their neighbours, fear going outside, and fear thinking independently -mirroring how the Nazi’s kept their populations under control.
Escape from accountability: Like Nazis fleeing Europe to places like Argentina to avoid justice, Ardern left New Zealand for America. She abandoned the country she once dominated, leaving behind a society scarred by her rule. Her flight speaks volumes about her awareness of the consequences of her actions.
Ardern now lives in self-imposed exile, trapped in a gilded cage abroad, facing the reality that her own people will not forgive, forget, or welcome her back. Nothing she does in America will erase the fear, economic hardship, and social division she caused in New Zealand.
Jacinda Ardern, what you did was unthinkable. You ruled like a tyrant, enforced obedience like a dictator, and left lives shattered in your wake. The punishment you face isn’t a courtroom, it’s reality. You are not welcome in New Zealand.
So very well articulated. The subject of this article should have to read it every day.