Ireland Rejects Constitution Changes, Keeping ‘Women in the Home’ Language

Voters in Ireland rejected two proposed changes to the country’s Constitution that would have removed language about women’s duties being in the home and broadened the definition of family beyond marriage, dealing a blow to the government that analysts said suggested the weakness of their campaign to pass the proposals.

While the decisions will have no practical implications for the law, the results, announced on Saturday, saw the proposals defeated by a wide majority, an unexpected defeat for equality campaigners and for the coalition government of Leo Varadkar, the taoiseach, or prime minister.

Despite support for a vote in favor of both proposals from all major political parties, some critics had said the proposed clauses didn’t go far enough, while others criticized what they saw as phrasing that was too broad.