Comedian running a country until recently (9)

I believe the answer is:

macedonia

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'country until recently' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'comedian running a' is the wordplay.
'running' indicates an anagram.
'comedian' is an anagram of 'macedoni'.
'macedoni'+'a'='MACEDONIA'

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(Other definitions for macedonia that I've seen before include "Southeast European country" , "European country, capital Skopje" , "Landlocked Balkan country" , "republic" , "Alexander the Great's homeland" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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