Mexico City: Antigua and barbuda There are plans to hold a referendum on becoming a republic within the next three years, the Caribbean nation’s prime minister told British media on Saturday, a move that could see the king Charles III Removed as head of state.
“This is a matter that has to be taken to a referendum … within the next, probably, three years,” the prime minister said. gaston brown Told ITV The news soon followed a local ceremony confirming Charles III as the country’s king following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The small Caribbean island nation, which became independent from Britain in 1981, is one of 14 members of the Commonwealth that share Britain’s monarch as their head of state.
brown Said that becoming a republic was “a final step to complete the cycle of independence to ensure that we are truly a sovereign nation,” but stressed that a referendum was “not an act of hostility” and This will not include retired Commonwealth membership.
Antigua’s prime minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Reuters was not able to independently verify the proposal.
According to official figures, the population of the nation is less than 100,000.
Brown’s pledge comes amid a growing Republican push in the Caribbean region, with Barbados voting last year to remove the UK monarchy, and the ruling party in Jamaica indicating it may follow.
Nonetheless, Brown – who is up for re-election next year – said he was not responding to a broader push by Antiguans to keep the vote.
“I think most people didn’t even bother to think about it,” he told ITV.
“This is a matter that has to be taken to a referendum … within the next, probably, three years,” the prime minister said. gaston brown Told ITV The news soon followed a local ceremony confirming Charles III as the country’s king following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The small Caribbean island nation, which became independent from Britain in 1981, is one of 14 members of the Commonwealth that share Britain’s monarch as their head of state.
brown Said that becoming a republic was “a final step to complete the cycle of independence to ensure that we are truly a sovereign nation,” but stressed that a referendum was “not an act of hostility” and This will not include retired Commonwealth membership.
Antigua’s prime minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Reuters was not able to independently verify the proposal.
According to official figures, the population of the nation is less than 100,000.
Brown’s pledge comes amid a growing Republican push in the Caribbean region, with Barbados voting last year to remove the UK monarchy, and the ruling party in Jamaica indicating it may follow.
Nonetheless, Brown – who is up for re-election next year – said he was not responding to a broader push by Antiguans to keep the vote.
“I think most people didn’t even bother to think about it,” he told ITV.