After the successful referendum held in Croatia in 2013, which amended the Constitution with a provision defining marriage as beingthe union between a man and a woman, we expect to see the same thing happen in Slovakia in 2014. In fact, the Slovak organisation Alliance for Family promoted a petition that mobilized more than 400.000 citizens, requiring a binding referendum on this issue. It will take place on 7 February and will cover other sensitive issues as well as the definition of marriage: the children’s right to be raised by a father and a mother and the freedom of parents to choose how their children are educated on sexuality and euthanasia. A very complex referendum that the Constitutional Court ruled as legitimate, despite the doubts of the President, who consulted the highest Court of the Country. These are the three questions:
Do you agree that only a bond between one man and one woman can be called marriage?
Do you agree that same-sex couples or groups should not be allowed to adopt and raise children?
Do you agree that schools cannot require children to participate in education pertaining to sexual behavior or euthanasia if their parents don’t agree?
Slovakia’s Constitution was already amended last year to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, but the promoters of the referendum declare that the real purpose of the referendum is to protect children: “The rights of children are more important than the rights of adults.” To be legally binding, the turnout for the referendum must be more than 50 percent.
