The Video
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shot back at a journalist who asked if they had met because of their similar ages and “common stuff.”
Marin’s visit to New Zealand was historic, marking the first time a Finnish leader had visited the country. The two leaders discussed trade between their countries, climate change, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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During their joint press conference in Auckland, a reporter from New Zealand asked Arden:
A lot of people will be wondering... Are you two meeting just because you’re similar in age and have got a lot of common stuff there — when you got into politics and stuff — or can Kiwis actually expect to see more deals between our two countries down the line?
Arden, 42, responded:
“I wonder whether or not anyone ever asked Barack Obama and John Key if they met because they were of similar age. We of course have a higher proportion of men in politics, it’s reality. Because two women meet, it’s not simply because of their gender.”
Later, Marin, 37, responded:
Yeah, we are meeting because we are prime ministers, of course.
Notable
Ardern has been asked so many sexist questions over the course of her tenure as prime minister of New Zealand that The Guardian compiled a nearly two minute long supercut of each incident.