2023 New Zealand general election (14 October)

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Well if NZ swings right it could be part of larger trend where progressive leaders be it Sanna Marin, maybe Pedro Sanchez (but today's election inconclusive), and Ardern who are were all seen as examples progressives looked up to.  Yes you still have Macron and Trudeau although Macron pretty centrist so as was case when Trump won in 2016, it once might again fall to Trudeau is the champion for progressive policies in West.

Why would Macron or Trudeau come to your mind when you think of progressives?

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Well if NZ swings right it could be part of larger trend where progressive leaders be it Sanna Marin, maybe Pedro Sanchez (but today's election inconclusive), and Ardern who are were all seen as examples progressives looked up to.  Yes you still have Macron and Trudeau although Macron pretty centrist so as was case when Trump won in 2016, it once might again fall to Trudeau is the champion for progressive policies in West.

Why would Macron or Trudeau come to your mind when you think of progressives?

Macron is debatable but certainly he fits caricature of liberal elite type who academics would like and seen as slayer of LePen and promoter of European tolerant values.  But his economic policies fairly centrist.  

Trudeau unlike Macron is definitely on left.  True Liberal party of Canada has tended to be more centrist than social democratic parties in Europe or Oceania, but not case under Trudeau.  Created a new social program with universal childcare, big on gender equality, increasing immigration to record levels, raised taxes on rich, big on climate action, brought on tough gun laws like Ardern and is one who wears being woke on his sleeve with pride.

I mean not a lot of left leaning leaders out there to choose from and in terms of time in office, I believe Trudeau and Costa of Portugal are two who have been in office longest.  I guess there is Xavier Battel of Luxembourg who has been in office longer, but don't know much about him.  Only other leader longer was Mark Rutte of Netherlands since 2010, but he is centre-right so more like watered down version of ACT or National party on economics but somewhat more socially liberal.

I don't live in New Zealand, but I do know over here in North America, many on left often held Ardern up as model for progressives.  By contrast your rabid right wingers rarely look to Luxon as model.  He would be seen as too old school and not your modern right wing populist or not conservative enough even though more conservative than some past National leaders.

Macron is solidly right-wing. Trudeau I guess cosplays as a progressive sometimes.