Ireland has become the first nation
to approve same-sex marriage by
a popular vote, sweeping aside the opposition of the Roman Catholic Church in a
resounding victory on Saturday for the gay rights movement and placing the
country at the vanguard of social change. With ballots from 34 out of the 43 polling stations
counted, the vote was almost two to one in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.
All but one of the districts that were counted voted yes, and it appeared to be
statistically impossible for opposition votes to overcome the yes.
Turnout was large — more than 60 percent of the 3.2
million people eligible to vote cast ballots. Government officials, advocates
and even those who had argued against the measure said that the outcome was a
resounding endorsement of the constitutional amendment.
Not long ago, the vote would have been unthinkable. Ireland decriminalized homosexuality only
in 1993, the church dominates the education system and abortion remains illegal
except when a mother’s life is at risk. But the influence of the church has
waned amid scandals in recent years, while attitudes, particularly among the
young, have shifted.
The vote is also the latest chapter in a sharpening
global cultural clash. Same-sex marriage is surging in the West, legal in 19
nations before the Irish vote and 37 American states, but almost always because
of legislative or legal action. At the same time, gay rights are under renewed
attack in Russia, in parts of Africa and from Islamic extremists, most notably
the Islamic State.
The results in Ireland, announced on Saturday,
showed wide and deep support for a measure that had dominated public discourse
and dinner-table conversation, particularly in the months before the lead-up to
the vote on Friday. Supporters celebrated in gatherings and on the streets,
with the rainbow colors of the gay rights movement and Yes vote buttons
conspicuously on display.
Surprising many who had predicted a generational
divide, the support cut across age and gender, geography and income, early
results showed.
Leaders on both sides tried to strike a conciliatory
note, though they said some issues remain to be sorted out, from rules on
surrogacy to the ability of religious groups to hew to their views.