New Zealand Republic

The Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political organization and movement in New Zealand that it has set itself the goal to abolish the constitutional monarchy and transform New Zealand into a republic. The organization describes itself as impartial and offers a platform to participate in the discussions and in decision-making on the subject can.

The organization is not to be confused with the party The Republic of New Zealand Party, although they would also introduce the republic, but as a right-wing conservative party eg the Treaty of Waitangi and all the institutions of government that are based on ethnicity, calls into question.

Objectives

The organization is committed to:

• All New Zealanders to participate in the Republic of debate,
• Relevant and reliable information to deliver,
• To focus on the idea and the content and not on personalities,
• To win a referendum to introduce the Republic can.

They explain that necessary for the formation of a republic any changes to the Treaty of Waitangi, to the New Zealand flag and membership in the Commonwealth.

Organization

The organization is officially called The Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand Incorporated, is organized nationally, may have localized, subdivisions and has called an elected president, who since 2006 Chair ( Chairman). Chairman since the end of 2006 Lewis J. Holden.

History

In March 1994, then Prime Minister of New Zealand Jim Bolger publicly declared as supporter of the introduction of a republican system in New Zealand. In the same year, in August 1994 was founded The Republican Coalition of New Zealand by a group of students at Victoria University in Wellington. Then the organization was incorporated under the present name as a company in February 1995. At the inaugural meeting in August, the Articles of Organization was adopted, which was amended on 10 June 2004 in order to jetzig still valid form.

The movement for the introduction of the Republic should be understood as independence movement and performs all steps in the history of New Zealand on in which New Zealand had renounced a bit more from the UK and became more independent. starting from 1835, when the French -born Charles Philippe Hippolyte de Thierry in Hokianga declared independence, was up to the Head of State Referenda Bill, a referendum October 14, 2009 initiated by the Green Parliamentary Keith Locke and incorporated into the New Zealand Parliament for a decision.

As patron of the movement in 1996 had the New Zealand writer Keri Hulme, who was honored with her book The Bone People in 1985 with the Booker Prize, provided. As a committed fan of a republic wrote the foreword in the The New Zealand Republic Handbook, which was published on 24 August 2009 by Peter Dunne, the former member of the Labour Party and today's President of the United Future New Zealand. The day was well chosen, the 23 September 102 years ago New Zealand was proclaimed the Dominion.

Mood of the population

According to research New Zealand 42% of New Zealanders were surveyed in November 2008 nor for the introduction of a republic and 48 % were against it.

In the survey carried out between the 16th and 25th February 2010, only 32% for the Republic and 53 % were expressed opposition to an introduction. It was interesting in the survey that more men than women were in favor of a republic (38% to 28 %). The idea of ​​more support than in the elderly found in younger people (under 35 years 35% over 55 years only 29%). The survey was conducted with 756 persons over 15 years.

Also interesting is the aspect that only a month before Prince William New Zealand had three days on an official visit, was received with military honors, and was recognized in the media in full detail in the survey. An influence of the survey through this visit was given by the director of research New Zealand, Emanuel Kalafatelis well.