Old object when bar is introduced in country, perhaps (8)

I believe the answer is:

republic

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'country perhaps' is the definition.
(republic is a type of country)

I don't understand the remainder of the clue.

(Other definitions for republic that I've seen before include "Political system of government by the people" , "State without monarch" , "Type of state" , "Nation in which the head of state is elected" , "Commonwealth" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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