Irelands pro-abortion campaigners win by a landslide
News & Trends •
afp25 ireland voted by a landslide to ditch its strict abortion laws in a landmark referendum that prime minister leo varadkar said had finally lifted decades of stigma and shame1 hugging celebrating singing and cheering wildly thousands crammed into the courtyard of dublin castle where the official result was declared chanting yes yes yes1 wonderful wonderful today is wonderful said 65-year-old eileen shields who had been ostracised for falling pregnant outside of marriage when she was 181 the crowds cheered and popped champagne corks as the result was announced. women and men wearing repeal tops and yes badges waved irish flags and placards reading thank you with love hearts on1 speaking through tears stasia clancy 64 said this is like an explosion of the repression and the suppression of the last 100 years1 at dublins rds count centre 40-year-old nurse ruth bowie wept at the results1 she told afp i had to leave my country to get the healthcare that i needed when i was told that my baby wouldnt survive outside the womb and ive told my story over and over again just in the hope that this day would come and its finally come1 veil of stigma lifted1 the final results of fridays referendum showed 66.4 percent voted for removing the constitutional ban while 33.6 voted against1 some 1429981 votes were cast for yes. the turnout was 64 percent1 among the 40 constituencies the pro-choice vote peaked at 78 percent in dublin bay south while rural donegal was the only one to vote against liberalising abortion by 52 percent1 more than 66 percent of voters in what has been a traditionally staunchly catholic country backed repealing the constitutional ban on terminations triggering scenes of tearful jubilation in dublin on saturday after a divisive and often emotional campaign1 no more stigma. the veil of secrecy is lifted. no more isolation. the burden of shame is gone1 he said saturday would be remembered as the day ireland stepped out from under the last of our shadows and into the light. the day we came of age as a country1 his government proposes allowing abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and between 12 and 24 weeks in exceptional circumstances1 varadkar said he wanted the law in force by the end of the year and health minister simon harris told afp that the cabinet would meet on tuesday to approve the drafting of legislation1 crumbling church influence1 the result is another hammer blow to the roman catholic churchs authority in ireland coming three years after referendum voters backed legalising same-sex marriage by 62 percent1 the churchs influence has crumbled in recent years due to a series of child sex abuse scandals1 the referendum comes three months before pope francis visits ireland for the world meeting of families1 an exit poll for the irish times newspaper suggested 70 percent of women and 65 percent of men voted to overturn the ban1 people over 65 voted 60 percent against. however all other age groups backed the proposal with support at 87 percent among voters aged 18 to 241 ailbhe smyth 71 co-director of the official together for yes campaign said real-life testimonies from women affected by the ban had helped swing the vote1 a quiet revolution has taken place varadkar said in a speech at dublin castle1