Referendum of June 12th, 2005 on the procreation médicalement assisted in Italy

The Italy NS have to decide by Référendum the June 12th 2005 on the abrogation of four articles of a law adopted by the Parliament in February 2004.

By the means of this consultation of popular initiative, the voters have the possibility of softening it on its most disputed points.

They must answer by yes or by not with four questions.

is it Necessary to withdraw text the references to the Embryon as an human being for whole share?
does one Have to remove the limitation with three of the number of embryos created and at once established without possibility of preliminary diagnosis?
is it Necessary to cancel the limitations with research on the embryos?
is it Necessary to reconsider prohibition to resort to an external donor?

Polemic

The president of the Italian Episcopal conference, the cardinal Camillo Ruini, invited “all the Catholique S to abstain from voting”. Indeed, according to the Italian constitution, if the participation is lower than 50%, the consultation will be regarded as null, objective posted of the Ruini cardinal. Under these conditions, to abstain from is more effective than to vote not for the opponents with this revision.

Which does not obey the instruction of abstention is not a true catholic , informed several Italian bishops. The Pape could also launch a message in favor of the abstention, “what would be of an extraordinary gravity”, according to the member of Parliament of the opposition Giorgio Tonini (DS, ex-Communist).

The Nobel Prize of Medicine (1986) Rita Levi-Montalcini, 96 years, rose yesterday against these calls to the abstention. “ I am surprised and irritated by these calls inviting the population to abstain from. I think that to vote is an obligation and for my part I will vote four with the referendum yes”, declared Mrs. Levi Montalcini, specialist in the brain.

Indeed this call to the abstention is a means of circumventing the secrecy of the vote. Because if the bulletin put in the ballot box (yes, not or white) remains secret, the fact of taking part or not in the poll is known of all.

Result

The referendum failed Monday, June 13, 2005 because of the low participation rate of the voters, which reached 25,9% , according to the final results of the ministry for the Interior.

Only a voter on four voted whereas the poll was organized over two days. 50% of the voters plus one were to decide so that the consultation is validated.

The Catholic church was of all its weight to ruin this referendum.

Partisan of the " oui" , the secretary of foreign affairs, Mrs. Margherita Boniver, on the other hand denounced the " diktat" church.

" There are three victims today: the secularity of the State, the autonomy of the political parties and institution of the referendum of initiative populaire" , regretted the radical euro-deputy and former European Commissioner Emma Bonino, militant of the " oui".

The Head of the State, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, the Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini and the majority of the leaders of the opposition faced the instruction of the Church and went voted Sunday.

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