Referendum lost to a strange alliance

THE result of the Italian referendum on in vitro fertilisation was shocking less for its result than the amazing rules under which it was run.

The idea that those opposed to the new laws could effectively add their votes to those who couldn’t give a flying damn about the issue is breathtaking in its silliness. By simply refusing to participate they gained themselves an advantage that no political force could realistically overcome.

There will be a lot of crowing from those opposed to changing Italy’s extraordinarily conservative laws on in vitro fertilisation, and indeed so they should.

They were handed an almost inevitable victory by a system that was massively biased in favour of the immovable object. A coalition of conservative busybodies, allied to the simply apathetic, easily and very predictably won against the minority for whom a change in the law could have made a substantial difference to their lives.

Indeed, considering the odds, it is surprising that the architects of the referendum saw any point in going ahead with it.

Those on the losing side on this occasion will of course accept the result with dignity, though they have reason to regret it deeply, and even more deeply the manner in which it was reached.

Jaime Hyland

Heinrich-Mann-Str 26

13156 Berlin

Germany