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Don’t go down under - their head of state is in London
There's nothing like having a country formerly behind the iron curtain to call it like it is. The opposition in the Balkan state of Bulgaria is arguing against their ceremonial president, Georgi Parvanov, making a state visit to Australia and New Zealand because:
...the head of state of both Australia and New Zealand live[s] in London – England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
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Bulgarian Oppostion bolster the NZ republicans!
I am sure the Bulgarian oppostion are familiar with NZ's constitution. It is interesting that a soundbite such as this is used as some type of support for a NZ republic! Are NZ republicans clutching onto straws in promoting their position? Of course, Bulgaria has a long history of stable democratic governments upholding the rule of law for its peoples. Therefore any utterances of its politicians have the utmost relevance in NZ's constitutional debate.
I would be confident enough to say that if David Cameron, British opposition conservative leader, had said any statement remotely praising NZ's constitional monarchy he would have been have been told by nz republicans to butt out of NZ's affairs as he is a foreigner. It would no doubt have been accompanied by criticism of the British constitutional and political system.
The Bulgarian opposition
Are NZ republicans clutching onto straws in promoting their position?
No. Your strident dismissal only goes to show it reveals something you're not too pleased with.
Of course, Bulgaria has a long history of stable democratic governments upholding the rule of law for its peoples.
Not sure why you're being sarcastic about Bulgaria. They can't help it they were invaded by the Soviet Union.
I would be confident enough to say that if David Cameron, British opposition conservative leader, had said any statement remotely praising NZ's constitional monarchy he would have been have been told by nz republicans to butt out of NZ's affairs as he is a foreigner.
No - we would not attack Mr Cameron for being a "foreigner". We'd take issue with praise for a constitutional monarchy that is a legal fiction. New Zealand has the British Monarch as its head of state. I'm pretty sure Mr Cameron would confirm that - the Conservative MP I've discussed the issue with argued that the monarchy was wholly about New Zealand's links to Britain, something that New Zealand monarchists strangely deny.
It would no doubt have been accompanied by criticism of the British constitutional and political system.
Err, no. When has the Republican Movement in New Zealand ever intervened in the debate over Britain's constitution? Never. We're not anti-British as you seem to be suggesting.
Chair of the Republican Movement
And...? Hawaii's head of
What's your point? How would a NZ head of state sitting in Wellington wearing a jacket and tie be any better than the current arrangement?
Its just that Jacobin leveling impulse again.
Jacobin? You really need to
Your examples are irrelevant - Hawaii, Vladivostok and Svalbard are all part of the country in question. London is in the UK, as is our head of state.
A New Zealand head of state, sitting in Wellington, would clarify where foreign heads of state need to go to discuss New Zealand related issues. A minor point, but relevant given the kernel of truth exposed by the Hungarian opposition.
Chair of the Republican Movement
Jacobin is a perfectly apt
My examples are not irrelevant, they represent tenuous geographical links to the residence of their head fo state. Yet are not consumed with loathing for their mother country, such as that which you display.
But so be it. If you want to cast away your history, your roots and your old allegiances for the sake of logical fashion, be my guest.
Enjoy swimming in a sea of nothingness, like America.
Anti-God? Where have we said
The bastions of order and history? I'm sure I can find plenty of historians who would be aghast at the thought of the Royal Family being bastions of British history!
Loathing the mother country? I assume you mean the UK - where have I said anything about loathing the UK, or displayed such as you claim?
Hawaii doesn't have a tenuous link to the United States - it's a part of it. The same goes for every other example you cite. The UK is recognised as a separate country from New Zealand. The only other countries where the head(s) of state are not resident are European micro-states such as Andorra, Monaco and Liechtenstein... even then in the case of all three they have cultural and historical links to their biggest neighbours (i.e. France and Germany - in the case of France, actual constitutional links).
Chair of the Republican Movement
LJ Holden:"The only other
"The only other countries where the head(s) of state are not resident are European micro-states such as Andorra, Monaco and Liechtenstein..."
In fact, the Principality of Liechtenstein has its own, indigenous monarchy (although Switzerland is responsible for much of its diplomatic representation). Monaco also has its own head of state, albeit on the condition that if it fails to produce a male heir to the throne then it reverts to French rule. Of those three principalities, only Andorra has unmistakably foreign heads of state - its co-princes are the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell in Catalonia (Spain).
The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man could, I suppose, feasibly be deemed to have foreign heads of state, since they are not part of the UK; but neither are they sovereign states, they are British Crown Dependencies, so the comparison is very tenuous indeed.
That's Bulgarian. Even if
That's Bulgarian. Even if Quentin Bryce and Satyana Anand were presidents of republics, the Bulgarian opposition would still think the visit down under was a waste of time and money.
That said, it might be an example to both Australia and New Zealand of having your own head of state can help promote your country internationally.
The man who would be King of Bulgaria, Simeon Saxe-Coburg (the Windsors' old name) said that if the people wanted a republic, he'd be a loyal citizen. He was so loyal, he ran for parliament and became prime minister. Charles Windsor as prime minister of a British republic? Defeats the whole exercise.
The GG of NZ's name is