Slovenia follows Austria on gay marriage

#1174 for broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 3 January 2016

Slovenia is a republic in south central Europe. Two weeks ago Slovenians followed their Austrian counterparts in voting decisively against gay marriage, with more than 60 per cent of those who cast their vote in a referendum saying No.

The Slovenian parliament had earlier passed legislation giving same sex couples the right to marry and adopt children.

In March, the parliament approved legislation defining marriage as a “union of two” instead of a “union of a man and a woman.”

According to Slovenian news agency STA, 63 per cent voted against and 37 per cent were in favor. Turnout was 35.6 per cent, well above the threshold of 20 per cent of registered voters needed to make a referendum result valid.

Slovenia will now revert back to previous law, which allows for civil partnerships but not the adoption of children.

One wonders what an Australian plebiscite or referendum would deliver on the question of legalising same sex marriage.

I’m Rod Benson for the NSW Council of Churches.