“Backstabbed” by his ex-wife during the election year: The leader of the Labor Party choked up several times and admitted that he was considering resigning

Comprehensive report from New Zealand Chinese Herald Labor Party leader Chris Hipkins publicly admitted in a morning interview on March 18 that he had been “suffering” in the past 48 hours and had once considered resigning as party leader and quitting politics entirely.

Previously, his ex-wife Jade Paul posted a post on private social media accusing Hipkins of being callous and callous, and then deleted the post. The move caused a stir in national public opinion. Although the accusation did not involve illegal behavior, Hipkins “completely denied it” and said that he was in a private dilemma full of heartbreak and pain.

On Herald NOW, Hipkins showed rare vulnerability. He described the breakdown of the marriage as a huge tragedy and stressed that these were purely private matters and should not be subject to public debate or legal action through the media. He specifically mentioned the protection of his two children and believed that the vicious remarks spread by Chigua netizens on social media had caused great harm to his family, partner and parents.

Although shaken in his heart, Hipkins still made it clear that he is still committed to fulfilling his political responsibilities and that the Labor Party will continue to campaign around the core values ​​of “health care, housing, and employment” instead of getting entangled in the private lives of politicians.

At the same time, ex-wife Paul’s attitude remains tough. In a social media post on Sunday, Paul criticized Hipkins for his lack of care when she suffered a miscarriage and his lack of support during the raising of their children after they broke up. He also said that he lost three jobs because of the marriage. Rumors about Hipkins’ extramarital affairs and interns were also mentioned at the end of the post, which was later deleted.

But that doesn’t mean she decided to hold back. She said in a post on Monday night that “enough is enough” and pointed out that many women who have been harmed by high-profile men often choose to remain silent for fear of damaging their reputation or implicating their children. She emphasized that she “100% stands by everything she said,” which further escalated the pressure from public opinion faced by Hipkins.

Hipkins responded that he had sought legal advice regarding the potential publication of these “false accusations” but that the costs would be borne by him personally as it was a private legal dispute. He was most detailed when denying extramarital affairs or inappropriate work relationships, and when referring to his children, who are currently vacationing in Fiji with Paul, he choked up at one point and expressed that he was unclear about their current situation: “My children, my children are with her. So, I don’t know.”

The current situation is extremely difficult for Hipkins. These accusations are almost impossible to falsify unless he discloses extremely private information such as bank transfer records, which would defeat his original intention of protecting privacy. In addition, any comments that are seen as attacking his ex-wife are likely to leave a negative impression in the public mind, especially female voters who are Labour’s core support base.

At present, it is not appropriate for Hipkins to make a reciprocal response, whether based on personal emotions or political strategy. As a party leader vying to be the next prime minister, clinging to his ex-wife carries huge electoral risks. Hipkins may ultimately need to choose between his personal political ambitions and the interests of his party. But at least for now, he can delay that moment of decision-making through careful response.

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