Now is not the time to reignite republic debate, says Australian PM Albanese

Australia's PM Anthony Albanese in June 2022
Australia's PM Anthony Albanese in June 2022 Copyright AP Photo
By Euronews with AP
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said previously that a referendum on whether Australia should become a full-fledged republic is not a priority of his first three-year term in government.

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Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who had started laying the groundwork for Australia becoming a full-fledged republic after elections in May, has said now was the time not for a change but for paying tribute to the life of Queen Elizabeth II.

Many regarded Australians’ respect and affection for the late monarch as the biggest obstacle to the country becoming a republic with its own head of state.

Albanese, who is of Irish and Albanian-Italian background, describes himself as the first candidate with a “non-Anglo Celtic name” to run for prime minister in the 121 years that the office has existed.

The Australian prime minister had created a new position of Assistant Minister for the Republic and appointed Matt Thistlethwaite to the role in June. Thistlethwaite had said there would be no change in the Queen’s lifetime.

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