Australia declares this September 22 as a national holiday in mourning for Elizabeth II

Sep. 11 () –

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared September 22 a national holiday in mourning for Queen Elizabeth II of England.

“It will be a unique national holiday to allow people to pay their respects on the passing of the queen,” Albanese said in an interview with the country’s public broadcasting corporation ABC.

Albanese and Governor General David Hurley will travel to the UK to attend the funeral on September 19. On their return to Canberra, they will take part in a memorial service in Parliament on the 22nd, when this national day of mourning begins.

The queen’s death and the appointment of Charles III have reignited the debate over whether Australia should become a republic. Albanese, a politician in favor of republicanism, deviated when asked about this topic. “My views on this are well known, but now is not the time to talk about our system of government,” he said.

“Now is the time to pay tribute to the life of Queen Elizabeth (…). A life of dedication and loyalty, even to the Australian people, for us to honor and mourn the loss,” he said, according to the transcript collected. on the Australian Government website.

Australia, along with Canada, New Zealand and other former colonies of the British Empire, still have the UK monarch as head of state.

In 1999 he narrowly lost the referendum for Australia to become a republic. However, the debate has intensified as the country’s image as a regional power has grown, reports Bloomberg.