New Zealand has elected the third Jewish prime minster in its history and its first conservative government in nearly a decade, ending the rule of one of the world's longest serving elected female prime minister, Helen Clark. John Key, a 47-year-old former currency trader and leader of the conservative national party, promised to be a moderate amid fears some of the country's policies on global warming and indigenous people could be rolled back. Voters on Saturday elected Key to lead them through a recession worsening because of the global financial meltdown.
Key's mother, Ruth Lazar, is a Jewish immigrant from Austria and is an active member of New Zealand's Jewish community, which has about 5,000 members.
