Elaine Loughlin: Female politicians master the art of timely departure

The announcements from Nicola Sturgeon and Jacinda Ardern were in stark contrast to the long drawn-out political dramas of back-stabbing and heel-digging that have so often preceded the end of a political reign.

Tue, 21 Feb, 2023 - 02:00

Male politicians could learn a lot from their female counterparts — starting with when and how to resign.

Instead of clinging onto power by their fingernails to the bitter end, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon and New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern parked their egos and stepped aside despite enjoying significant support from their parties and popularity among the general public.

It takes more balls to bow out at the height of your career, even if it’s for the right reasons, than it does to continue to drift along, gradually dragging your own party down with you.

A lot of the discussion since the departure of both women has rightly centred around the toll that pursuing a role in politics has on women, who suffer sustained personal attacks, online harassment, constant judgement, and a level of scrutiny not applied to men.

The fact that strong and accomplished women simply can no longer sustain what is often relentless abuse, both online and in person, is concerning.

Over the weekend, junior minister Anne Rabbitte also admitted she considered her future after having a bag of cow excrement thrown towards her during a public event earlier this year.

Minister of State Anne Rabbitte. Picture: Moya Nolan

“On that night back in January, there were a couple of moments that night when I queried myself as to why I do this,” the Galway East TD told RTÉ Radio. “That’s the first time ever in my political career that I would have doubted myself.”

Real and meaningful gender balance in public life will never be achieved if accomplished female political leaders are prematurely leaving public life.

It again highlights the fact that despite great strides in recent decades, women continue to face more obstacles and constant barriers to both enter politics and then stay in it.

But it is also refreshing to see those in leadership roles realise and accept when they should no longer continue.

Ardern and Sturgeon have put their family, their party, and ultimately their country ahead of narcissistic ambition.

“I’m leaving, because with such a privileged role comes responsibility — the responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not,” Ardern stated in announcing her departure.

“I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It’s that simple.”

Ardern became the world’s youngest female head of government, aged 37.

She made history when she brought her baby to the UN General Assembly and she promoted unity and compassion after the 2019 Christchurch mosque terror attacks.

She has absolutely nothing to prove, but undoubtedly would have contributed more if she remained on.

However, she admitted that she is “human” and, having given her all for five and a half years, she hoped that New Zealanders would see that “you [could] be your own kind of leader — one who knows when it’s time to go”.

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardernsaid the thing she would miss most was the people, because they had been the 'joy of the job'. Picture: Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald via AP

Knowing the right time was also a theme which Sturgeon focused on in announcing her own departure.

“Since my very first moments in the job,” she said, “I have believed that part of serving well would be to know — almost instinctively — when the time is right to make way for someone else.

“And when that time came, to have the courage to do so — even if, to many across the country and in my party, it might feel too soon.

“In my head and my heart, I know that time is now.”

Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon. Picture: Russell Cheyne/PA Wire

The two announcements were in stark contrast to the long drawn-out political dramas of heaves, personal controversy, back-stabbing and heel-digging that have so often preceded the end of a political reign.

Announcing his retirement from public life in 1992, Charles Haughey quoted from the closing lines of Shakespeare’s Othello, saying: “I have done the state some service, they know it, no more of that.”

But he had caused traumatic upheaval in his party over the phone-tapping controversy which led coalition partner and Progressive Democrats leader Desmond O’Malley to come out and state that the credibility of the coalition was under threat.

In 1994, as the Fr Brendan Smyth affair spiralled out of control, Albert Reynolds announced he would be leaving the office of An Taoiseach.

Stepping down in 2008, Bertie Ahern was forced to refer to the “constant barrage of commentary on tribunal-related matters” which had distracted from the work of the government and overshadowed his final period in office.

Brian Cowen survived two motions of no confidence during his term as Taoiseach, before he finally stood down ahead of a third such motion and pressure from within his own party.

In his resignation speech, Cowen said he had been “concerned that renewed internal criticism of my leadership of Fianna Fail is deflecting attention from these important debates”, and had decided to step down.

It was a long goodbye for Enda Kenny, who for almost a year prior to his resignation faced criticisms and calls to stand aside from within his own ranks.

In contrast, Ardern and Sturgeon have gone on their own terms.

In signing off, Arden admitted she had nothing left in the tank.

All politicians should remember those words. No one appreciates a leader who runs the country on fumes.

1934

February 26: There were angry scenes in the Dáil when the Wearing of Uniforms (Restriction) Bill, which specifically sought to ban political uniforms in Irish public life, was introduced. Opposing the Bill, WT Cosgrave told the Dáil of incidents where blueshirt members had been attacked during parades. He said the Government wanted to ban blueshirts altogether, but "the vagabonds, the scoundrels and the ruffians can attempt to molest individuals who attempt to wear a particular type of shirt which was in perfect tradition with our history, and in close association with the most revered memory of our patron saint, St Patrick", a comment which received laughter from the Fianna Fáil benches.

1943

February 23: Trapped in an "inferno of fames and smoke", 35 children and a woman aged 87, lost their lives in a fire that destroyed an orphanage in Cavan.

"Frantic with horror, the children crowded the windows, crying to people below to save them", it was reported at the time.

1980

February 29: Under the headline "Charlie's four Bambis" it was reported that then taoiseach Charles Haughey was soon to have four red deer for company on his island off the west Kerry coast. The OPW had acceded to the request, paving the way for the transportation of a number of the indigenous Killarney herd to Innsvickillaun.

1992

February 26: The Supreme Court overturned a High Court ruling preventing a 14-year-old rape victim from travelling to England for an abortion. The Government said "it very much appreciated the speed" of the court's decision, with then taoiseach Albert Reynolds welcoming the outcome from a "humane point of view".

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