A constitutional referendum was held in Tuvalu on 30 April 2008.[1] The referendum sought to abolish the monarchy of Tuvalu and establish the country as a republic. Had the referendum passed, the new president would have been indirectly elected by the Parliament of Tuvalu.
The referendum failed, with 679 votes in favour of establishing a republic and 1,260 votes to retain the monarchy.[2] As a consequence, Tuvalu remained a monarchy, and Elizabeth II remained head of state. Turnout for the referendum was low. Only 1,939 voters cast valid ballots, out of the approximately 9,000 voting-aged Tuvaluans. In comparison, 8,501 votes were cast in the 2006 parliamentary election.[1] A previous referendum on becoming a republic in 1986 was also rejected.
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