Ireland abortion referendum: Country votes in landmark ballot
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
From MSN:
Voters in Ireland are casting their ballots in a landmark referendum to decide whether to remove a constitutional amendment that bans abortion in almost all circumstances.
Polling stations across 40 constituencies in the republic opened at 7 a.m. local time (2 a.m. ET). An electorate of around 3.2 million are eligible to cast their ballots, including thousands of Irish people living overseas who have flown home to vote. If the Yes campaign wins, Irish lawmakers are expected to enact legislation allowing for terminations in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy -- and later in cases where there is a risk to the mother's life or the fetus is not expected to survive.
A No vote would keep Ireland's abortion laws -- some of the strictest in the developed world -- in place.
The Eighth Amendment, which was added into the constitution following a referendum in 1983, places the rights of the fetus and the rights of its mother on equal footing, effectively banning abortion barring a "real and substantial risk" to the mother's life. As with any proposed change to Ireland's constitution, the question has to be put to a referendum.
Abortion-rights activists -- advocating a Yes vote on Friday -- have long argued that the Eighth Amendment punishes women and doesn't stop abortions, which are exported, mostly to the UK, instead.
Their longstanding campaign to repeal the Eighth, as it is commonly known, has seen some change over the past three decades. In 1992, the X Case made it legal for Irish women to travel abroad for abortions, adding the threat of suicide as grounds for abortion. In 2013, Savita Halappanavar died of sepsis after being denied a termination of a miscarrying fetus in a Galway hospital, prompting the government to pass a bill allowing abortions when a woman's life is in danger. And in June 2016, the UN's Human Rights Council ruled that the country's abortion regime subjected Amanda Mellet, a dual Irish-American national, to "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment," and called on the Irish government to reform its laws.
Throughout the years, Ireland's abortion-rights campaigners have mobilized en masse, with demonstrations that have brought Dublin to a halt and found support across the globe.
Anti-abortion activists will be voting No, arguing that the Eighth has saved thousands of lives and encouraged compassionate alternatives to abortion, such as perinatal hospice care when the baby is not expected to survive or adoption for babies born to women in challenging circumstances. The No campaign has also found support from anti-abortion groups worldwide, including some American activists who have traveled to speak at rallies.
Polls will close at 5 p.m. ET (10 p.m. local) on Friday. Counting of ballots will get underway on Saturday, with a result expected by mid-afternoon.
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Hopefully Irish voters will do the right thing and vote yes to loosen some of Ireland's draconian abortion laws. Abortion laws like Ireland's do nothing but make women second class citizens and slaves to an embryo/fetus.
I hope they do the right thing, too.
The Catholic Church has their fingers in this "fetus before the mother" bullshit. It makes no sense to sacrifice a woman's life over a fetus when the probability of the fetus surviving after the mother dies is pretty slim.
Indeed.
It's not even that much. The idea that a woman has no say and is forced to surrender choice and autonomy once she's pregnant is both cruel and absurd! And yes, the church does play a big role in that, especially in Ireland.
This is one of the holdovers from when the Catholic Church held great sway in Ireland, not so much any longer. With the influx of the younger folks I believe this will pass.
But in the end it is for the Irish to figure out.
I think they still have significant pull. But as you say, not as much as they used to. It's nice to see people overcoming the doctrine (or indoctrination) of superstition.
I just read that it did pass.
I'm hoping this passes.
As am I. Considering that this proposal is up for consideration and vote is progress I suppose. Now we'll see if it actually passes.
It looks like it is going to pass with no problem. Hooray for Ireland!
Good for Ireland !! maybe some people in this country will get a clue as well ?
Two exit polls indicate an overwhelming victory for reproductive rights, 69-31%. That's even higher than the percentage which rejected superstition and homophobia with the vote for marriage equality (62-38%).
It looks as if Ireland is catching up to the 21st century.
The final tally was 66.4% to 33.6%, just a bit lower than the exit polls indicated.
It's still a win. Although, I thought it would be more evenly split down the middle. Still, it's good to see.
Not just a win, a landslide! It's a real rejection of theocracy and Catholic extremism - hopefully that translates into momentum on the other secular reform issues like the school system.
Somehow I thought all the theocratic aspects of their constitution were going to be fixed all at once rather than piecemeal, but I guess this makes better sense anyway since it increases the likelihood of a yes vote.
Indeed.
Which shows promise for Ireland.
Hopefully.
Every little bit helps. Baby steps you know.
Right now Theresa May opposes allowing a similar referendum on reproductive rights in northern Ireland, but there might be some movement on the issue:
.
I know there's a similar effort on marriage equality for the north but I think just as a vote in the UK Parliament not as a referendum.
Good for Erin !!!
An update on the issue: Ireland voters have voted to repeal the country's 8th Constitutional Amendment, thereby ending the ban on abortion. Good for them. Women now have some rights and autonomy over their own bodies and choices.