John Key: The king is dead. Long live the king…

John Key has resigned.

After 8 years as Prime Minister, John Key has stepped down. It is a sudden and unexpected move.

Another National Party MP will replace John Key at a caucus meeting next week. John Key has endorsed Bill English to replace him, but there will be others who want the role. We cant really predict who the new leader will be, but we can predict that the commitment to protecting the rights of wealth over the rights of the many will continue uninterrupted.

“The king is dead, long live the king…”

For the left, the challenge ahead of us is likewise unchanged. One figure head is gone, but the struggle will continue. It is up to us to be better organised, to be better fighters and better communicators.

What will be interesting is if this leads to less stability in politics. John Key was a stable hand at the head of the government. While around the world the political order has shown signs of unraveling, New Zealand under John Key has not yet followed suit. Now that Key is gone, this may no longer remain the case.

If there is more instability in politics, it is essential that the left rises to the challenge. Leaving political space empty wont leave a void forever. In the absence of a left response, the right will try to fill that space. Winston Peters will be waiting in the wings.

2017 is now shaping up to be a much more interesting year. Lets rise to that challenge.
Comments welcome below. 

Leftwin seeks to host a discussion on building a new left politics in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
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