A poor
turnout at Slovakia's referendum on same sex-marriage has left conservatives
disappointed, as they continue to push back against what they see as
"overly liberal policies." Only 21 percent of the electorate voted.
Slovakia's
national statistic's bureau in Bratislava announced early Sunday that the
minimum plenum of 50 percent had been missed by almost 29 percent.
The
country's conservatives had hoped that Saturday's referendum would have
strengthened Slovakia's current ban on gay marriage, civil unions and adoption
by same-sex couples.
Ahead of
Saturday's vote, liberals gay rights activists and various media outlets had
called on the nation's electorate to boycott the referendum - a simple tactic
which proved to be a success.
"The
result shows that a campaign full of prejudice … failed to mobilize people,
which is very good news for Slovakia," activist Lucia Plavakova told
Reuters news agency.
Threat to
'tradition'
Some 95
percent of those who did vote, however, backed a 2014 constitutional amendment
which defines marriage as a union of man and wife.
The
Alliance for Family (AZR), which spearheaded the vote, launched the referendum
to cement last year's constitutional ban, arguing that the "European
Parliament and some EU members have passed laws that undermine the unique
nature of marriage, families and children's rights."
Ahead of
Saturday's referendum, AZR spokesman Anton Chromik said: "We'll continue
our struggle to protect the family."
More than
80 percent of Slovakia's 5.4 million population are Christians - most of whom
belong to the Catholic Church which staunchly supported the referendum.
The final
results of the referendum were expected later on Sunday.
ksb/cmk (Reuters, AFP)
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