Chris Hipkins will have his work cut out ahead of an election in October 

The surprise resignation on January 19th of Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s widely-loved prime minister, could have triggered bloodletting in the country’s ruling Labour Party. But it has selected a new leader with remarkably little fuss. Within two days of Ms Ardern’s announcement, Labour MPs had coalesced behind Chris Hipkins, the education minister. He was formally endorsed as Labour leader on January 22nd and will be sworn in as prime minister on January 25th. “Leadership contests don’t have to be like the Hunger Games,” the diminutive Mr Hipkins quipped.

No dramatic change of course is expected of him. The 44-year-old Mr Hipkins is a close friend and ally of Ms Ardern, whom he hailed as “one of our great prime ministers”. He also borrowed one of her lines, promising to govern with “the heart”.