Conservative Republicans

In New Zealand, republicanism is more associated with the left than the right. Much the same in Australia. The interesting thing though is that some of the most prominent republicans tend to be conservatives – Malcolm Turnbull in Australia and Jim Bolger in New Zealand.

Lewis Holden blogs that in Canada it is quite different though. The most left wing party, the New Denocrats, are most against a republic. And those most in favour are from the Conservative Party of Canada.

The reasons for this it is thought, is that some left wing Canadians think being a Republic will make them more like the United States. I always find it interesting how much of the Canadian psyche is about not being American.