WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that her government will not take steps to turn New Zealand into a republic after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Ardern said she thought New Zealand would eventually become a republic, and that it would probably happen in her lifetime, but there were more pressing problems for her government.
Her comments represent the first time she has spoken on the debate in the New Zealand Republic since Elizabeth’s death, and reflect previous comments she has made on the matter. Ardern has also previously expressed support for the country eventually becoming a republic.
Under the current system, the British monarch remains New Zealand’s head of state, represented in New Zealand by a governor-general. Today, the role of the governor-general is considered mainly ceremonial.
Yet many argue that New Zealand will not be able to fully emerge from the shadows of its colonial past and become a truly independent nation until it becomes a republic.
“There has been a discussion, probably for several years,” Ardern said. “It’s just the pace and how widespread that debate is. I’ve made my views clear many times. I really believe New Zealand will go there in time. I believe it will probably happen in my lifetime.
“But I don’t see it as a short-term measure or something that’s on the agenda anytime soon,” Ardern said.
She said becoming a republic was not something her government planned to discuss at any time.
“Like I said, in large part really because I never felt the urgency,” Ardern said. “There are so many challenges we face. This is a big, important debate. I don’t think it would or should happen anytime soon.”
Many people in New Zealand have speculated in the past that the republic debate would only gain momentum after Elizabeth’s death, given how loved she was by so many.
Ardern said she didn’t connect the two events: “I never connected it that way,” she said.
Ardern also announced Monday that New Zealand would mark Elizabeth’s death with a public holiday on September 26. The nation will also hold a state memorial in the capital Wellington on the same day.
Ardern said Elizabeth was an extraordinary person and many New Zealanders would appreciate the chance to celebrate her death and celebrate her life.
“As Queen of New Zealand and a beloved sovereign for more than 70 years, it is fitting that we mark her life of devoted public service with a state memorial and a one-time public holiday,” Ardern said.
Ardern said she would be leaving for Britain this week to attend Elizabeth’s funeral.
