Open divorce referendum question could mislead public – pro-divorce movement
The pro-divorce movement warned that an open question could mislead the public on what they are voting on.
In a statement on Tuesday, Iva movement chairperson Deborah Schembri reiterated that the question upon which the upcoming divorce referendum will be based shouldn’t be a generic one but should reflect the divorce draft bill that is currently tabled in parliament “so the people will truly know what they are voting on.”
Schembri argued that a generic question would “give no indication of what type of divorce one would be voting in favour of.” While more lax forms of divorce such as the “Las Vegas divorce” can be obtained overnight, “more responsible forms of divorce can be obtained only when all hope of reconciliation is exhausted, she said.
Given that both options are nevertheless forms of divorce, “any voter needs to be guided through the referendum question as to which sort of divorce one would be referring to, so that one’s vote truly reflects what one is in favour of,” Schembri said.
She added that a specific referendum question matters to those who are in favour of divorce, as while some might be in favour of responsible divorce as it is proposed in parliament, and not a more lax quick-fix divorce.
“To those who are against divorce, it won’t matter whether the referendum question is generic or not,” she said.
She also maintained that a generic question can be misleading because nobody would possess the means to show that they are voting in favour of a responsible option of divorce. “There would be nothing stopping anyone from interpreting the result as one that is in favour of a ‘quick-fix’ divorce,” she warned.
“It is not true that a specific question would condition voters to think of what sort of divorce they would find preferable without having decided whether they support or oppose divorce in principle,” Schembri said.
She urged those involved in the debate to not treat the public as if it is not mature enough to base its decisions on sound, mature thought.
Pauline Moran •
Id Divorzju huwa dritt civili u mhux kif qed jippruva ibbellghawa il PN u l-Knisja li huwa xi dnub. Dawn kolllha ippokriti. TEMMNUHOMX. Mohhom biss biex jimmanipulaw is sistema burokratika biex tibqaw taht il jasar taghhom! THALLUHOMX. Dawn mghandomx raguni valida il ghala ma jridux il ligi tad divorzju tidhol..dejjem iqajjmu id dnub mil qabar!!!! Dawn kollha hmerijiet ta min qady jghix fil Medju Evu u li ghandu l-intent li ma jaghtux Dritt Universali lil poplu taghna sabiex ihallu ir riedni tal poter f'idejn il Knisja biex tkompli iddahhal ammont kbir ta' flus min fuq il poplu, li l-PN stess kissritu ekonomikament, moralment u menalment!!! IRRIGEKTJAWHOM..Dawn ma haqqhomx attenzjoni aktar!!!! Dawn kollha Farizej!!! Il poplu innifsu huwa il kap ta hajjtu u werriet tad drittijiet universali u l-ebda partit jew deputat ma jigi fuqu!!!!!
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The largely Catholic population of Ireland has tended to be averse to divorce. The position has changed in recent times with a sizeable increase in the number of divorces granted by the Irish Courts. Divorce was prohibited by the 1937 Constitution. While in 1986 the electorate rejected the possibility of allowing divorce in a referendum, the prohibition was ultimately repealed by a 1995 referendum which repealed the prohibition on divorce, despite Church opposition. Laws to give effect to the new position came into effect in 1997, making divorce possible for parties who are separated for four out of the preceding five years. Divorce will not be granted in the Republic of Ireland for any other criteria. It is more difficult to obtain a divorce in Ireland than in other jurisdictions.
A couple must be separated for four of the preceding five years before they can obtain a divorce. It is sometimes possible to be considered separated while living under the same roof.[9]
Divorces obtained outside Ireland are only recognised by the State if either:
at least one of the spouses was domiciled within the jurisdiction which issued the decree of divorce at the time of issue, or
the state is required to recognise the divorce pursuant to the relevant European Union regulations — currently Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_and_divorce_around_the_world
