Commonwealth republic
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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 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.
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[edit] 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.
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 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.
Some Commonwealth republics became republics on gaining independence from Britain.
[edit] Remaining constitutional links
Most Commonwealth republics have removed all residual constitutional links to the United Kingdom. However, some allow appeals directly to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, such as Dominica, Mauritius, and if the case involves constitutional rights, Kiribati.
[edit] 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 state 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.
[edit] 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.
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'.
[edit] List of Commonwealth republics
[edit] Former Commonwealth realms
List of former Commonwealth Realms, by year of attaining republican status:
| Member state | Year of independence | Year became a republic | Republic created through | Type of president | First president | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  India |
1947 | 1950 | Constitutional amendment | Ceremonial | New appointment | |
| 2 |  Pakistan |
1947 | 19561 | New constitution | Ceremonial, later executive | Incumbent Governor-General | |
| 3 |  Ghana |
1957 | 1960 | Referendum | 88.47% | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister |
| 4 |  South Africa |
1910 | 19612 | Referendum | 52.3% | Ceremonial, later executive | Incumbent Governor-General |
| 5 |  Nigeria |
1960 | 1963 | Constitutional amendment | Ceremonial, later executive | Incumbent Governor-General | |
| 6 |  Uganda |
1962 | 1963 | Constitutional amendment | Ceremonial, later executive | New appointment | |
| 7 |  Kenya |
1963 | 1964 | Constitutional amendment | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister | |
| 8 |  Tanzania |
1961 | 19623 | Constitutional amendment | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister | |
| 9 |  Malawi |
1964 | 1966 | Constitutional amendment | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister | |
| 10 |  Gambia |
1965 | 1970 | Referendum | 62.3% | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister |
| 11 |  Guyana |
1966 | 1970 | Constitutional amendment | Ceremonial, later executive | New appointment | |
| 12 |  Sierra Leone |
1961 | 1971 | Constitutional amendment | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister | |
| 13 |  Sri Lanka |
1948 | 1972 | New constitution | Ceremonial, later executive | Incumbent Governor-General | |
| 14 |  Malta |
1964 | 1974 | Referendum | ?? | Ceremonial | Incumbent Governor-General |
| 15 |  Trinidad and Tobago |
1962 | 1976 | Constitutional amendment | Ceremonial | Incumbent Governor-General | |
| 16 |  Fiji |
1970 | 19874 | Military coup | Ceremonial | Incumbent Governor-General | |
| 17 |  Mauritius |
1968 | 1992 | Constitutional amendment | Ceremonial | New appointment | |
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.
[edit] Republics on independence
| 1 |  Cyprus |
19601 | New constitution | Executive | New appointment | ||
| 2 |  Cameroon |
19612 | New constitution | Ceremonial | New appointment | ||
| 3 |  Zambia |
1964 | New constitution | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister | ||
| 4 |  Maldives |
19653 | Referendum | ?? | Executive | New appointment | |
| 5 |  Singapore |
19654 | New constitution | Ceremonial | Incumbent Governor (as a state of Malaysia) | ||
| 6 |  Botswana |
1966 | New constitution | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister | ||
| 7 |  Nauru |
19685 | New constitution | Executive | New appointment | ||
| 8 |  Bangladesh |
19716 | New constitution | Ceremonial | New appointment | ||
| 9 |  Mozambique |
19757 | New constitution | Executive | New appointment | ||
| 10 |  Seychelles |
1976 | New constitution | Executive | New appointment | ||
| 11 |  Dominica |
1978 | New constitution | Ceremonial | New appointment | ||
| 12 |  Kiribati |
1979 | New constitution | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister | ||
| 13 |  Vanuatu |
1980 | New constitution | Ceremonial | New appointment | ||
| 14 |  Namibia |
19908 | New constitution | Executive | New appointment | ||
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.
[edit] Former Commonwealth republics
Currently, the only former Commonwealth republic is:
Zimbabwe, republic since 1980, left the Commonwealth in 2003.
[edit] Potential Commonwealth republics
[edit] 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.
These republics are:
Burma,1 republic since 1948 (former British colony).
Ireland,2 republic since 1949 (former Commonwealth Realm).
Israel, republic since 1948 (former British mandate of Palestine).
Sudan, republic since 1956 (former Anglo-Egyptian Condominium)
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.
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.
Somalia, includes former British Somaliland, which merged with Italian Somaliland to form Somalia in 1960.
Yemen, includes the former South Yemen formerly British protectorate of Aden, which became an independent republic in 1967, and united with North Yemen in 1990.
[edit] 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.
- Further information: Commonwealth Realm: Debate on the Monarchy
The Commonwealth Realms where republicanism features are:
1A referendum on the republic issue was held in Australia in 1999, and was defeated 45.13% 'Yes' to around 55% 'No'.
