Why did Jacinda Ardern call for changes to New Zealand’s gun laws after the Christchurch attacks?

Following the March 15, 2019, terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called for changes to the country’s gun laws in response to the mass shootings that resulted in the deaths of at least 50 people.12

The assailant, a white supremacist, carried out the attacks at two mosques using semiautomatic assault weapons and shotguns. In the wake of what Ardern characterized as one of the "darkest days" in New Zealand's history, she sought to address the tragedy by reforming gun legislation, despite the proposal being contentious in a nation with widespread gun ownership. Her call for reform was a direct response to the violence and the ease with which the perpetrator was able to use high-powered weaponry to inflict mass casualties.12