Slovenia referendum on teh gays, Dec 20th

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Slovenia is going ahead with a referendum on its country's new gay marriage legislation implemented earlier this year. Christian groups have collected enough to put it on the ballot box. Isn't it great how when people are given the option of direct democracy they use that right for the most useful of purposes?

[DavidB.]

Sigh. I hate referendums on this issue. Do the right thing, Slovenia.

[Ex-Assemblyman Steelers]

Do the right thing, Slovenia.

Like Croatia did?

[DavidB.]

Like Croatia did?

No, that was the wrong thing. I'd rather see Slovenia vote like Ireland did.

[Ex-Assemblyman Steelers]

Good to know But im not worried to much. Slovenia always be more liberal then every other ex-YU countries.

[Cranberry]

Eh, I'd not be too sure of the results of that. It's true that if any former Yugoslavian nation does the right thing, to put it in David's words, Slovenia obviously is that one; but I'm generally very iffy about things like this - maybe it's just my own pessimistic self wanting to be proved better. A referendum giving same sex civil partnerships the same rights as heterosexual marriages - so not even about gay marriage - failed in 2012 by, I guess ten percent, though, so keep that in mind.

I don't suppose we have any early polling on that?

[DavidB.]

Yeah, I think Steelers is right: this will pass. What annoys me about these referendums is that same-sex marriage is subject to the decision of "the people". I don't believe in the concept of "rights", but in a proper liberal democracy (and Slovenia is a proper liberal democracy), the government treats all citizens equally, regardless of what a majority of the population want.

It seems especially wrong that this is still on the ballot even if parliament already approved same-sex marriage, thus considering marriage something that should be "distributed" equally without taking into account one's sexuality. It is an infringement upon the equal treatment of citizens, and the fact that this is on the ballot proves that the government (or, more precisely, the institutions that shape Slovenian democracy and its rule of law) isn't prepared to preserve equality for minorities. Frankly I think it is humiliating for LGB(T?)s to have their "equality" on the ballot, as if they are only worthy of equal treatment if a majority decides so. I have become more and more convinced that the judicial way in which same-sex marriage has been realized in the US has been the right way.

However, this is still better than nothing at all, and in 2016, Slovenia will likely have same-sex marriage -- as opposed to all of its neighbors, including Italy and Austria...

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Fwiw this isn't the first time gay relationships have been on the ballot in Slovenia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovenian_Family_Code_referendum,_2012

This year we've had two polls, both with opposite results.

If I was in charge of an LGBT activist group in Slovenia, I might try and go for the method used to defeat the referendum in Slovakia (abstention so quorum was not reached).

[Cranberry]

Let's hope your predictions are right, Steelers and David. I'm not so sure about that just yet, but maybe that's just me hoping to be positively rather than negatively surprised

What is the quorum for the referendum to gain effect?

However, this is still better than nothing at all, and in 2016, Slovenia will likely have same-sex marriage -- as opposed to all of its neighbors, including Italy and Austria...

Yes, Central Europe has for some reason been pretty crap on that record.

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

This tread: liberal magicians and their strange hopes

[DavidB.]

Yes I'm so liberal Also, it would be strange to hope for Poles voting for SSM in a referendum, but it isn't so strange to hope for SSM to pass in Slovenia (even if it eventually doesn't).

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

The fight is on. Will the liberal magicians triumph in their fight to impose a "Homosexual Republic of Gayvenia"?

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/27d7fd1e-a4db-11e5-97e1-a754d5d9538c.html#axzz3um4QPFWB

interestingly the Catholic Church is keeping a low profile under a scandal (Don't worry, it's just financial impropriety on a massive scale, not the other kind of Catholic Scandal). The Pope himself made an incredibly vague pro statement advising Slovenians to vote for Christian families, which is probably as good as you're going to get.

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

I wonder if Żiżek (let's face it, he is the only Slovene that anyone knows) said something about that referendum. I hope that liberal magicians will lose this battle. Polls says that currently "no" is slightly more popular option, but the percentage of undecided is also pretty high.

[Tender Branson]

I wonder if Żiżek (let's face it, he is the only Slovene that anyone knows) said something about that referendum. I hope that liberal magicians will lose this battle. Polls says that currently "no" is slightly more popular option, but the percentage of undecided is also pretty high.

Nah.

What about Peter Prevc or Tina Maze ?

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

Sometimes I forget that ski jumping is watched not only in Poland.

[Simfan34]

I wonder if Żiżek (let's face it, he is the only Slovene that anyone knows) said something about that referendum. I hope that liberal magicians will lose this battle. Polls says that currently "no" is slightly more popular option, but the percentage of undecided is also pretty high.

Nah.

What about Peter Prevc or Tina Maze ?

Who?

[Tender Branson]

I wonder if Żiżek (let's face it, he is the only Slovene that anyone knows) said something about that referendum. I hope that liberal magicians will lose this battle. Polls says that currently "no" is slightly more popular option, but the percentage of undecided is also pretty high.

Nah.

What about Peter Prevc or Tina Maze ?

Who?

Many Central Europeans know them (at least more than that Żiżek guy).

Americans of course won't.

Maze is a successful alpine skier and Prevc is a successful ski jumper.

[rob in cal]

     IIRC, GOP vice presidential candidate William Miller's wife Stephanie was part-Slovenian ancestry.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

tbh I don't really know what effect a Christmassy election will have on turnout, but I think the most likely result is a failed quorum.  343,104 "no" voters ( 20% of about 1.7 million) registered voters are required for the dastardly liberal magicians to be expelled from Hogwarts. If the Church is keeping a relatively muted campaign, it will be hard to drag up the turnout, even if "no" beats "yes" (which is most likely).

Early voters turnout levels:

Tue   Wed   Thu   
0.38%   0.92%   1.43%      

[DavidB.]

I think no will win, but without reaching the quorum.

[Tender Branson]

I think no will win, but without reaching the quorum.

Me too (52.2-47.8 or something), but turnout will be epically low anway.

[DavidB.]

52.3% for, 47.7% against. So it appears that in Slovenia, #lovewins

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

Absolutely disgusting.

[DavidB.]

Oh, that was apparently not the final result. My Slovenian needs some improvement... It is now 59.3 against and 40.7 for. Well, the quorum to prevent SSM from being implemented won't be reached anyway.

[Cranberry]

Where do you get your results, David? Wikipedia and some Slovenian newspaper website linked from it have 52% for, 47% against.