By John Mack Freeman
Slovakia has failed to pass a referendum that would have blocked LGB marriage and adoption in that country. While over 95% of those voting supported the referendum, Slovak law requires that 50 percent of eligible voters turnout for a referendum to pass a legitimacy threshold. Since fewer than 25 percent actually voted, the referendum did not pass. In the days leading up to the vote, those against the ban had encouraged LGBT supporters to stay home so that the referendum would have less of a chance of passing the legitimacy threshold.
This failure comes after Pope Francis came out in favor of the referendum this week. While Francis has been praised in the past for a more open stance towards gays and lesbians, his comments over recent months have shown that he is just as committed to stopping same-sex marriage as his predecessors have been.
