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.