The New Zealand Republican Movement has declared the race on amongst Commonwealth countries to remove the monarchy and become republics in the Commonwealth. Australia is set to hold another referendum on the issue, support in Canada has topped 50% and in Jamaica a clear electoral mandate for reform has been given to the new government.
In five of the remaining Commonwealth members with Elizabeth Windsor as head of state republican movements are gaining ground. A recent poll by Angus Reid Strategies in Canada indicates that 53 percent of Canadians support ending the monarchy, while only 35 percent support the status quo.
Citizens for a Canadian Republic leader Tom Freda said “Republican support jumps to 55 percent versus 31 percent when respondents are asked about retaining the monarchy with Prince Charles as the successor to Queen Elizabeth II.”
In Australia, opposition leader Kevin Rudd has announced that if elected later this year his government would hold a new referendum on Australia dumping the monarchy.
Commenting on the Australian announcement, Graham Smith of Republic UK said “We’ll be watching the Australian situation with great interest. Seeing Australia become a republic will rock the monarchy back here in the UK, and will provide us all with a shining example of what a modern democratic country can aspire to.”
In Jamaica the newly elected government has a mandate to reform Jamaica’s head of state. New Prime Minister Bruce Golding made a clear pledge in the party’s election manifesto to take “steps to amend the Constitution to replace the Queen with a Jamaican President who symbolises the unity of the nation. Such a President will be appointed by consensus through a two-thirds majority vote in each House of Parliament”
Reform in Jamaica will influence smaller Caribbean countries. Barbados, St Lucia, Grenada, Belize, St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and Grenadines will all start to examine the value of reforming the office of head of state. In light of growing republican sentiment in New Zealand, the race to become the newest republic within the Commonwealth is definitely on.