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How will the definition of family change in the Irish Constitution?
On March 8, 2024, the Irish government held two referendums on constitutional amendments, targeting the provisions in the constitution regarding family and care. The two amendments are the 39th Amendment (Family) and the 40th Amendment (Care). The 39th Amendment was intended to expand the definition of family to include enduring relationships, while the 40th Amendment was intended to replace the original provisions targeting women with gender-neutral ones supporting family life. take care of.
In this vote, the ruling coalition, including the Fenner Republicans, the National Party and the Green Party, as well as the opposition parties, including the Simpsons, the Labor Party and the Social Democratic Party, all called on voters to support the two amendments. However, contrary to general expectations, the final voting results showed that the 39th amendment was rejected by 67.69% of the votes, and the 40th amendment was rejected by 73.93%, becoming the highest proportion of vetoes in the history of Irish constitutional referendums. One of the highest referendums.
These rejections not only reflect doubts about the government's proposals, but also show the public's deep thinking about the concepts of family and care.
Since the Irish Constitution came into force in 1937, the definition of family has been a focus of social concern. The report pointed out that with the changing times, society's understanding of family structure has gradually diversified, and many citizens and social groups have expressed a strong demand to revise the definition of family. However, the referendum showed a deepening of social divisions and reflected extreme oppositional opinions.
The proposal for this amendment comes against the backdrop of years-long discussions on gender equality and family rights. In 2018, then Justice and Equality Minister Charlie Flanagan announced a referendum on the removal of section 41.2 of the Constitution. However, due to procedural delays, the referendum was not held as scheduled.
Experts point out that the provisions in the Constitution not only affect the implementation of the law, but also have a profound impact on the shaping of society's moral values.
The public education campaign leading to the final passage of the amendment was led by the Electoral Commission, but voters in various social contexts had varying degrees of understanding and support for the two proposals. The survey shows that among supporters of various political parties, the majority are opposed to the "care" amendment and are dissatisfied with the government's unclear expression on the amendment.
According to statistics, only 44.36% of voters participated in the vote, which shows that the attention paid to these important social issues is not as widespread as expected. In fact, Dehila was the only constituency that supported the 39th Amendment, while no one supported the 40th Amendment. In the results subsequently made public, the number of votes against both amendments in the Dengol constituency exceeded 80%.
Voters' responses show that their inherent ideas about family definitions and gender roles are still deeply rooted and that change is not easy.
The voices of opposition come from a variety of social groups, not only from religious groups, but also from many civil and legal institutions. Despite numerous social movements calling for reform, how the government and society will continue the next round of dialogue and improvement after the referendum remains an important topic for future discussion.
Regarding the referendum result, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he would respect the voters' choice and was aware of the challenges this vote posed to the government. His opponent, Opposition Leader Mary Lou McDonald, said the result showed there was a "lack of clarity" in the government's wording. This is not only the end of political dialogue, but also a reflection of ordinary people on the future direction.
Will the definition of family change in Ireland in the future? This will depend on how society continues to discuss and reshape its understanding and language of family and care?
