More voters in the Solomon Islands would choose a republic in a referendum tomorrow than would stay with the Crown, according to new research from Lord Ashcroft Polls – while most in Papua New Guinea and Tuvalu say they would vote for their countries to remain constitutional monarchies.
People in the Solomon Islands said they would vote to become a republic rather than remain a constitutional monarchy by 59 percent to 34 percent, with the remainder saying they didn’t know or would not vote.
Those in Papua New Guinea said they would choose to stay with the monarchy by 51 percent to 45 percent, and people in Tuvalu by 71 percent to 26 percent.
Voters in Tuvalu and Papua New Guinea thought their countries would choose to stay with the monarchy if a referendum were held tomorrow or in 10 years’ time. If a referendum were held in 50 years, Papua New Guineans thought their country would become a republic, but Tuvaluans thought they would still stay with the monarchy. Solomon Islanders thought their country would choose to become a republic in a referendum tomorrow.
In the Solomon Islands, 47 percent of pro-republic voters said becoming a republic would bring real, practical benefits. 53 percent said the monarchy was wrong in principle and should be replaced whether there are practical benefits or not.
62 percent of respondents in Tuvalu and 67 percent in Papua New Guinea agreed that “in an ideal world we wouldn’t have the monarchy, but there are more important things for the country to deal with.” A smaller majority in the Solomon Islands (52 percent) agreed.
58 percent said they had a favourable view of King Charles in Papua New Guinea, as did 71 percent in Tuvalu but only 45 percent in the Solomon Islands.
Majorities in Papua New Guinea (56 percent) and Tuvalu (75 percent) agreed that the King “can unite everyone in the country no matter who they voted for”. Solomon Islanders disagreed by 56 percent to 44 percent.
Asked to choose between two statements, 58 percent in Papua New Guinea and 71 percent in Tuvalu said they saw the monarchy as “a valuable force for stability and continuity”; 58 percent in the Solomon Islands saw the monarchy more as “part of a colonial past that has no place in the country today”.
Majorities in Papua New Guinea (53 percent) and Tuvalu (72 percent said they thought the King and the royal family cared a lot about their respective countries. Only 38 percent in the Solomon Islands agreed.
In all three countries, clear majorities (PNG 73 percent, Tuvalu 82 percent, Solomon Islands 80 percent) said that if their country became a republic they would want to remain part of the Commonwealth.
SOURCE: NEWSWIRE/PACNEWS
