The recent referendum in Ireland has resulted in a surprising defeat for equality campaigners and the country’s prime minister, Leo Varadkar. Voters rejected two proposed changes to the Constitution that aimed to remove language about women’s duties being in the home and broaden the definition of family beyond marriage.
The results, announced on Saturday, showed that the majority of Irish citizens were not in favor of the proposed amendments, despite all of Ireland’s political parties backing them. The amendments were seen as crucial in reflecting the country’s more secular and liberal modern identity.
The first proposed change was to amend the Constitution’s Article 41 to provide for a wider concept of family, recognizing all family caregivers. The second change concerned Article 41.2, which acknowledged women’s duties in the home. Both proposals were rejected by the public.
Women’s rights groups, who had long campaigned for the removal of the language about women’s duties in the home, expressed disappointment at the outcome. The language was seen as outdated and a relic of a patriarchal past.
The referendum results have sparked discussions about the complexity of the outcome, with some attributing the proposals’ failures to a lower-than-expected voter turnout and confusing messaging by the “Yes” campaign.
Despite the defeat, the government has accepted responsibility for the outcome, with Prime Minister Varadkar acknowledging that they failed to convince the majority of people to vote “Yes.”
The latest referendums were called following recommendations from a Citizen’s Assembly on gender equality. Some critics argued that the proposed changes did not go far enough, leading to their rejection by the voters.
Overall, the referendum results highlight the ongoing debate in Ireland about gender equality and the role of the Constitution in reflecting the values of modern society.
