A slam dunk, but the government dropped the ball
For years, actually decades, everyone in Ireland knew the outdated “women” language in the constitution would be eventually be ditched by referendum.
It was just a matter of timing and wording really.
This is a modern and fairly liberal European democracy, gradually shedding the vestiges of conservative Catholic control by popular vote. Divorce, same-sex marriage, abortion. All gone, all by referendum.
Language drawn up by men born in the 1800s, referencing a woman’s life and duties being in the home? Easy by comparison. No government could mess this one up.
Enter Leo Varadkar and his hapless coalition.
This will be held up for many years as an example of how not to run a referendum campaign. Pay no attention to any international clickbait headlines declaring that on International Women’s Day, the Irish voted to keep women at home.
This wasn’t about the “sexist” language. It was about the government’s shambolic approach to the vote.
A reluctance to commit resources. Rejecting recommended replacement language in favour of vague aspirations that convinced no one. Poor messaging. And a perceived arrogance and complacency toward the electorate.
Replacing marriage as the family foundation with “durable relationships”, but not defining what on earth a durable relationship was? Ah sure, the courts will sort that one out, the people were told.
Ditching the sexist language, and replacing it with a vague commitment to “strive” to support family carers (who are mostly women)? What does that mean? How do you define “strive” in a legal sense? Do or do not, there is no try, according to Yoda, who definitely would have voted ‘no’.
The answers simply didn’t come, and history shows the Irish voters are more than happy to shoot down referendums when they don’t feel the tangible results to a Yes vote have been explained. Brexit would never have passed with Irish voters. They don’t do vague. Better the devil you know. Status quo prevails.
This was supposed to be the first of a string of feel-good results for Leo Varadkar’s government, ahead of an anticipated early general election. The main opposition party Sinn Fein have been slipping back substantially in polling.
A win in the referendums, good results in the local/European elections in June, a nice give-away budget in October, and boom – the election can be called. If that was indeed the plan, it’s fallen at the first hurdle.
Instead, Mr Varadkar heads off to Washington for the annual bout of St Patrick’s jollity at President Biden’s place, with a pair of ears as red as the shamrock is green.
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