Commonwealth republic
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A Commonwealth republic is any one of the 31 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations with a republican form of government. Though they are nearly all former British colonies, in contrast to the 16 Commonwealth realms they are not in a personal union relationship, do not have Elizabeth II as their respective Head of state, nor do they have another monarch as Head of State. Elizabeth II is still the titular Head of the Commonwealth, but does not have any political power within the Commonwealth republics.
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). The latest country to become a Commonwealth republic was Mauritius in 1992. The only member not to have been a British colony is Mozambique, which was a Portuguese colony.
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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 Elizabeth II as Head of the Commonwealth, but not as their Head of state.
Following their independence from the United Kingdom, most Commonwealth countries retained Elizabeth II as head of state, the Monarch adopting a title 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, and usually followed the Presidential system. Some states became Parliamentary republics, such as Malta or Fiji.
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'.
Some Commonwealth republics became republics on gaining independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
[edit] Remaining constitutional links
Most Commonwealth republics have removed all residual constitutional links to the United Kingdom Parliament. 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, which 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 as of that time.
[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, each respective country being a Parliamentary republic. In others, such as Ghana, Malawi and Gambia, the Presidency was an executive post, usually first held by the last Prime Minister, with each respective country being a Presidential republic. In the latter cases not only was the monarchy abolished, but so was the entire Westminster system of parliamentary government as well.
[edit] List of Commonwealth republics
[edit] Former Commonwealth realms
List of former Commonwealth realms, by year of attaining republican status:
Note: The tables could be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the "><" icon.
| Member state | Year of independence | Year became a republic | Republic created through | Percentage won | 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 | Incumbent Governor-General5 | |
| 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 | Constitutional amendment | 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 | Incumbent Governor-General5 | |
1. Withdrew in 1972 in protest at Commonwealth recognition of Bangladesh; rejoined until 1989.
2. Withdrew in 1961; rejoined in 1994.
3. As Tanganyika - merged with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964.
4. Commonwealth membership lapsed in 1987; rejoined in 1997; suspended in 2000; readmitted 2001; suspended in 2006.
5. Interim President, new appointment shortly after.
[edit] Republics on independence
| Member state | Year of independence | Republic created through | Percentage won | Type of president | First president | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Cyprus |
19601 | New constitution | Executive | New appointment | ||
| 2 |  Cameroon |
19612 | New constitution | Executive | New appointment | ||
| 3 |  Samoa |
19623 | New constitution | Ceremonial | New appointment | ||
| 4 |  Zambia |
1964 | New constitution | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister | ||
| 5 |  Maldives |
19654 | Referendum | ?? | Executive | New appointment | |
| 6 |  Singapore |
19655 | New constitution | Ceremonial | Incumbent Governor (as a state of Malaysia) | ||
| 7 |  Botswana |
1966 | New constitution | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister | ||
| 8 |  Nauru |
19686 | New constitution | Executive | New appointment | ||
| 9 |  Bangladesh |
19717 | New constitution | Ceremonial | New appointment | ||
| 10 |  Mozambique |
19758 | New constitution | Executive | New appointment | ||
| 11 |  Seychelles |
1976 | New constitution | Executive | New appointment | ||
| 12 |  Dominica |
1978 | New constitution | Ceremonial | Incumbent Governor-General (interim) | ||
| 13 |  Kiribati |
1979 | New constitution | Executive | Incumbent Prime Minister | ||
| 14 |  Vanuatu |
1980 | New constitution | Ceremonial | New appointment | ||
| 15 |  Namibia |
19909 | 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. Samoa became a member of the Commonwealth in 1970, but its heads of state were originally two traditional chiefs, but was de jure a republic; after the death of the last traditional chief, the new head of state was chosen for a five-year term by Samoa's parliament.
4. The Maldives became a republic in 1968 (prior to which it had been an independent sultanate), but had never been a member of the Commonwealth; the Maldives joined in 1982.
5. Singapore was formerly part of Malaysia.
6. Nauru became an independent republic in 1968, but did not become a full member of the Commonwealth until 2000.
7. Bangladesh was formerly East Pakistan.
8. Mozambique's independence as a republic was attained from Portugal in 1975. It became a member of the Commonwealth in 1995.
9. Namibia was formerly a League of Nations Mandated Territory administered by South Africa and continued to be de facto administrated by South Africa until independence
[edit] Former Commonwealth republics
Currently, the only former Commonwealth republics are:
Zimbabwe, republic since 1980, left the Commonwealth in 2003.- Fiji, republic since 1987, suspended from the Commonwealth in 2006.
[edit] Potential Commonwealth republics
[edit] Commonwealth realms
In November 2007, Barbados announced that it will hold a referendum on whether to become a republic by August 2008, concurrently with the country's general election.
[edit] Republics on independence
A number of former British colonies became republics on or since independence, but did not join the Commonwealth, or would not have been permitted to as republics were not allowed to remain in the Commonwealth at the time of their independence. 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).
Israel,1 republic since 1948 (former British mandate of Palestine).
Sudan, republic since 1956 (former Anglo-Egyptian Condominium)
1. Burma and Israel became republics on independence, prior to the London Declaration, which allowed republics to be members of the Commonwealth.
In addition, should the State of Palestine (part of the former British mandate of Palestine) achieve statehood, it could be added to this list.
[edit] Ireland
Ireland today is a republic and a former member of the Commonwealth. However, it does not fit neatly into any of the above categories. Unlike Burma, Israel and Sudan, it was not a British colony. Instead, from 1801 until 1922 it was an integral part of the United Kingdom. In 1922, as the Irish Free State it became a Dominion in the British Commonwealth. In 1937, the present-day Irish state, Ireland was established. Its constitution established it as a de facto republic with no reference to the British monarchy but equally no reference to a republic either. In 1949 Ireland proclaimed that it was a republic but no new Irish state was established. The same state established in 1937 continued in being. Hence Ireland did become a republic since independence and was a member of the Commonwealth but was never a Commonwealth republic.
[edit] Former Colonies in other modern Republics
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 the British protectorate of Aden, which became an independent republic in 1967 and united with North Yemen in 1990.
