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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| New Zealand Prime Minister John Key in surprise resignation | New Zealand Prime Minister John Key in surprise resignation |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| John Key has announced that he will resign as prime minister of New Zealand, after eight years in the job. | John Key has announced that he will resign as prime minister of New Zealand, after eight years in the job. |
| Mr Key called it "the hardest decision I've ever made," adding "I don't know what I'll do next." | Mr Key called it "the hardest decision I've ever made," adding "I don't know what I'll do next." |
| Deputy PM Bill English is likely to take over until the National Party holds a caucus to choose a new PM. | Deputy PM Bill English is likely to take over until the National Party holds a caucus to choose a new PM. |
| Mr Key, a popular leader, is stepping down at the request of his wife Bronagh, the New Zealand Herald reports. | Mr Key, a popular leader, is stepping down at the request of his wife Bronagh, the New Zealand Herald reports. |
| He won a third term for the National Party at elections in September 2014. He said he would not be contesting the 2017 election. | |
| The BBC's Hywel Griffith in Sydney says Mr Key is known by the local media as "Teflon John" because very little controversy has stuck to him during his time in office. | |
| 'Nothing left' | 'Nothing left' |
| Mr Key made the announcement during his weekly press conference and cited family reasons for the surprise decision. He set a date of 12 December for the formal resignation. | Mr Key made the announcement during his weekly press conference and cited family reasons for the surprise decision. He set a date of 12 December for the formal resignation. |
| He said the job required great sacrifices "from those who are dearest to me". He said his children had coped with "an extraordinary level of intrusion". | He said the job required great sacrifices "from those who are dearest to me". He said his children had coped with "an extraordinary level of intrusion". |
| "All I can say is that I gave it everything I had. I have left nothing in the tank." | "All I can say is that I gave it everything I had. I have left nothing in the tank." |
| My Key, who was formerly at Merrill Lynch as a foreign exchange dealer, ended nine years of Labour Party rule in 2008 when he ousted PM Helen Clark. | My Key, who was formerly at Merrill Lynch as a foreign exchange dealer, ended nine years of Labour Party rule in 2008 when he ousted PM Helen Clark. |
| Labour leader Andrew Little tweeted: "John Key has served New Zealand generously and with dedication. I wish him and his family the best for the future." | Labour leader Andrew Little tweeted: "John Key has served New Zealand generously and with dedication. I wish him and his family the best for the future." |
| Green Party co-leader Meteria Turei also wished him well. | Green Party co-leader Meteria Turei also wished him well. |
| "I fought every day against John's politics but always supported his right to be a dad and a husband first," she tweeted. | "I fought every day against John's politics but always supported his right to be a dad and a husband first," she tweeted. |
| Mr Key is credited with steering New Zealand through the 2008 global economic crisis, and helping to bring the country out of recession. | |
| He has sought to build closer ties with the US, taking a leading role in supporting President Barack Obama's Trans Pacific Partnership - a 12 country trade deal covering 40% of the world economy. |