NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Commonwealth republic

A Commonwealth republic is any one of the 31 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that have a republican form of government. In contrast to the 16 Commonwealth Realms, the Commonwealth republics do not retain the Queen as their Head of state, nor have another monarch as Head of State as in the five Commonwealth members which have a unilateral monarchy. The Queen is, however, still the titular Head of the Commonwealth. Thirty of the republics are former British self-governing colonies that have evolved into republics by various means. In most cases, the countries achieved independence as Commonwealth Realms, and later became Commonwealth republics. In some instances, the countries became Commonwealth republics after achieving independence from other former British colonies (as Bangladesh did from Pakistan in 1971). Most of these republics (except Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony) have previously been British colonies. The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as the Commonwealth, is an association of 53 independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ... In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people who do not base their political power on any principle beyond the control of the people of that state or country. ... The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the 16 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that separately recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their monarch. ... Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State of 16 countries including: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand and the Bahamas, as well as crown colonies and overseas territories of the United Kingdom. ... A self-governing colony is a colony with an elected legislature, in which politicians are able to make most decisions without reference to the colonial power with formal or nominal control of the colony. ... The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the 16 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that separately recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their monarch. ...

The latest country to become a Commonwealth republic was Mauritius, in 1992. The Commonwealth republics are each members of, but should be distinguished from, the Commonwealth of Nations.

History

Republics have been allowed as members of the Commonwealth since 1950, following the London Declaration. This declaration came about because India sought continued membership of the Commonwealth despite its republican status. As a compromise, republics within the Commonwealth are required to recognise the British monarch as Head of the Commonwealth, but not as their Head of state. The present British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, is the second to be recognised as Head of the Commonwealth in the 53 member states of the Commonwealth of Nations. ...

Following their independence from the United Kingdom, most Commonwealth countries retained the Queen as head of state, changing the title of the Monarch to indicate sovereignty of their own respective nations (such as "Queen of Barbados", rather than "Queen of the United Kingdom"). South Africa and Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka) were the first to do this. With time, many Commonwealth Realms moved to become republics, passing constitutional amendments or holding referendums to remove the monarch as their head of state, and replacing the Governor-General with an elected or appointed president. This was especially true in post-colonial Africa. Most African Realms became republics within a few years of independence. In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people who do not base their political power on any principle beyond the control of the people of that state or country. ... A constitutional amendment is an alteration to the constitution of a nation or a state. ...

In the case of Fiji, a republic came about as a result of the second military coup in 1987, which overthrew the monarchy. Despite a republic being declared, the incumbent Governor-General was elected as the first President. Fiji's new republican government gave the Commonwealth the ability to allow Fiji's membership of the orgainisation to lapse. Fiji Coups of 1987 refers to the 1987 overthrow of the government of Fiji by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, then third in command of the Royal Fiji Military Forces. ...

Some Commonwealth republics became republics on gaining independence from Britain.

Remaining constitutional links

Most Commonwealth republics have removed all residual constitutional links to the United Kingdom. However, some allow appeals is directly to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, such as Dominica, Mauritius, and if the case involves constitutional rights, Kiribati. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom. ...

Commonwealth membership

Within the Commonwealth, there is no difference in status between the Commonwealth republics and Commonwealth Realms or the other Commonwealth members, which are realms with their own monarchs (Brunei, Lesotho, Malaysia, Swaziland, and Tonga).

Though becoming a republic does not automatically require a change to Commonwealth membership, Commonwealth Realms that become republics must still obtain the permission of other members to remain in the organisation after becoming a republic. Though this is usually only a formality, any member(s) against the proposal can block the membership of a republican New Zealand in the Commonwealth. However, the rejection of membership is often due to racial policies (as with Apartheid South Africa in 1961, who did not re-apply for membership) pursued by the government, not republicanism. Fiji and the Maldives did not apply for continued membership after becoming republics, and thus lost their positions in the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the 16 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that separately recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their monarch. ... A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ...

The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as the Commonwealth, is an association of 53 independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ...

Current Commonwealth republics

In some former Commonwealth Realms, including Malta, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mauritius, the new office of President was a ceremonial post, usually held by the last Governor-General. In others, such as Ghana, Malawi and Gambia, the Presidency was an executive post, usually first held by the last Prime Minister. In the latter cases not only was the monarchy abolished, but so was the entire Westminster system of parliamentary government as well. The Westminster system is a democratic system of government modelled after that of the United Kingdom system, as used in the Palace of Westminster, the location of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

In Fiji, the change to a republic in 1987 came as a result of a military coup, rather than out of any republican sentiment, as Fiji's indigenous chiefs had voluntarily ceded their country to the Crown. Even when Fiji was not a member of the Commonwealth, symbols of the monarchy remained, including the Queen's portrait on banknotes and coins, and, unlike in the United Kingdom, the Queen's Official Birthday is a public holiday. When Fiji was readmitted to the Commonwealth, the issue of reinstating the Queen as Head of State was raised, but not pursued, although the country's Great Council of Chiefs reaffirmed that the Queen was still the country's 'Paramount Chief'. 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. ...

List of Commonwealth republics

Former Commonwealth realms

List of former Commonwealth Realms, by year of attaining republican status: The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the 16 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that separately recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their monarch. ...

1. Withdrew in 1972 in protest at Commonwealth recognition of Bangladesh, did not rejoin until 1989.
2. Withdrew in 1961, did not rejoin until 1994.
3. As Tanganyika - merged with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964.
4. Commonwealth membership lapsed in 1987, did not rejoin until 1997. Image File history File links Flag_of_India. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Pakistan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ghana. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_South_Africa. ... On 5th October, 1960, South Africas white minority government held a referendum on whether or not the then Union should sever links with the British monarchy and become a republic. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Nigeria. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Uganda. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Kenya. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Tanzania. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Malawi. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_The_Gambia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Guyana. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sierra_Leone. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sri_Lanka. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Malta_(bordered). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Trinidad_and_Tobago. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Fiji. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Mauritius. ...

Republics on independence

1. Cyprus became a member of the Commonwealth in 1961.
2. Cameroon became a member of the Commonwealth in 1995.
3. The Maldives became a republic in 1968 (prior to which it had been an independent sultanate), but left the Commonwealth, becoming a member again in 1982.
4. Singapore was formerly part of Malaysia.
5. Nauru became an independent republic in 1968, but did not become a full member of the Commonwealth until 2000.
6. Bangladesh was formerly East Pakistan.
7. Mozambique's independence as a republic was attained from Portugal in 1975. It became a member of the Commonwealth in 1995.
8. Namibia was formerly a League of Nations Mandated Territory and UN Trust Territory administered by South Africa. Image File history File links Flag_of_Cyprus_(bordered). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Cameroon. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Zambia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Maldives. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Singapore_(bordered). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Botswana. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Nauru. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Bangladesh. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Mozambique. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Seychelles. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Dominica. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Kiribati. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Vanuatu. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Namibia. ...

Former Commonwealth republics

Potential Commonwealth republics

Republics on independence

A number of former British colonies became republics on or since independence, but did not join the Commonwealth. These states are not former Commonwealth members per se, but would be entitled to membership of the Commonwealth as republics.

Should the State of Palestine (part of the former British mandate of Palestine) achieve statehood, it could be added to this list. Owing to their military governments, Burma, now also called Myanmar, and the Sudan are unlikely to be admitted as members. Image File history File links Flag_of_Myanmar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ireland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Israel. ... Palestine and Transjordan were incorporated (under different legal and administrative arrangements) into the Mandate for Palestine issued by the League of Nations to Great Britain on 29 September, 1923. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sudan. ... Map of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan Anglo-Egyptian Sudan was the name of Sudan between 1899 and 1956, when it was a condominium of the United Kingdom and Egypt (which was then under British influence). ... ... Palestine and Transjordan were incorporated (under different legal and administrative arrangements) into the Mandate for Palestine issued by the League of Nations to Great Britain on 29 September, 1923. ... A military government is a form of government wherein the political power resides within the military and may either refer to a military dictatorship or to the government installed by a foreign power during belligerent occupation. ...

1. Burma became a republic on independence, prior to the London Declaration, which allowed republics to be members of the Commonwealth.
2. Ireland had been a de facto republic since 1937, with a President, but recognised the British monarch for the purposes of external relations.

Other republics include territory that was previously under British rule, and could qualify for membership following the precedent set by Cameroon, which joined in 1995. 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Image File history File links Flag_of_Somalia. ... The British Somaliland Protectorate was a British protectorate in the north part of the Horn of Africa, later part of Somalia. ... Italian Somaliland was an Italian colony that lasted, apart from a brief interlude of British rule, from the late 19th century until 1960 in the territory of the modern-day East African nation of Somalia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Yemen. ... National motto: none Official language Arabic Capital Aden Area 287,680 kmÂ² Population - Total (1973) - Density 1,590,275 5. ... The Yemen Arab Republic, also known as North Yemen, was a country in the northern part of what is now Yemen. ...

Commonwealth Realms

Currently some republican sentiment exits within some of the Commonwealth Realms. This republican sentiment tends to be quite different in nature from the sentiment in countries that abolished the monarchy at or shortly after independence. These Realms, however, may never become Commonwealth republics, as it is equally possible for them to remain in the current personal union relationship, become monarchies under a different dynasty, or to discontinue Commonwealth membership should they become a republic. The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the 16 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that separately recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their monarch. ... A personal union is a political union of two or more entities that, internationally, are considered separate states, but through established law, share the same head of state â€”hence also whatever political actions are vested in the head of state, but no (or very few) others. ... // For other uses, see Dynasty (disambiguation). ...

The Commonwealth Realms where republicanism features are: The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the 16 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that separately recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their monarch. ...

¹A referendum on the republic issue was held in Australia in 1999, and was defeated 45.13% 'Yes' to around 55% 'No'. Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Barbados. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Canada. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_New_Zealand. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Jamaica. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Tuvalu. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

Contents

History

Remaining constitutional links

Commonwealth membership

Current Commonwealth republics

List of Commonwealth republics

Former Commonwealth realms

Republics on independence

Former Commonwealth republics

Potential Commonwealth republics

Republics on independence

Commonwealth Realms

See also