Italians vote on divorce

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33532, 13 May 1974, Page 13

Italians vote on divorce

j (NZ.PA.-Reuter—Copyright) ROME. May 12. Italians will vote today in a referendum on divorce — confusingly having to vote “yes” if they are against, and “no” if they favour it. The referendum has become a political controversy, causing bitter debate, and has paralysed Government decision-making for nearly two months. The divorce law, passed in December, 1970, after long debate, is considered one of the least liberal in the West.

But Right-wing Roman Catholics gathered more than 1.3 million signatures to force the referendum. More than 37m voters today

and tomorrow will mark crosses over the words “Si” or “No” on yellow ballot paper.

They technically are being asked whether they favour abrogation of the law concerning the dissolution of marriage. A recent opinion poll reported that at least 30 per cent of the electorate did not understand the word “abrogation.” PARTIES AT ODDS

The referendum campaigns have split Italy’s three governing parties. The dominant Christian Democrats, led by the party secretary (Mr ] Amintore Fanfani) have campaigned against the law, and their Socialist and Social Democrat partners have supported it. The Christian Democrats have only the small neo-Fas-cist Italian Social Movement Party and the Roman Catho-

lie Church hierarchy openly campaigning with them. Propaganda has flooded the country, with posters plastered on all available walls and brightly coloured banners stretched across streets. The official campaigns ended on Friday night with a deluge of leaflets thrown from loudspeaker cars.

Much of the debate has centred on words such gs “liberty,” “democracy,” and "family.” All are highly emotive words in Italy. In the closing stage of the campaign, political leaders and church spokesmen became increasingly outspoken. Senator Fanfani suggested in one speech that divorce could lead to homosexual marriages and lesbibianism.

The law itself lays down as the principal ground for

divorce a minimum of five years uninterrupted separation if the divorce petition is not contested, and seven years if one of the partners objects. 65,000 GRANTED In spite of the Church’s fears that Italians would rush to divorce courts as soon as the law came into effect, only just more than 65,000 couples have been granted divorces in the three years it has been in effect. Political analysts forecast a very close finish when the results are declared at the Ministry of the Interior on Monday night.

Most polls have predicted a victory for the pro-divorce faction. But observers are sceptical about their accuracy, particularly in the underdeveloped and rural southern areas.