Nearly two-thirds of Slovenians rejected same-sex marriage in a referendum, which came after a law giving marriage equality was passed in March. The March law was immediately challenged by opponents before gay couples could marry.
Voters opposed a bill that defined marriage as a union between two consenting adults.
One of the opposition groups, Children are at stake, told the BBC that: “This result presents a victory for our children,” said Ales Primc from the group.
The opposition looked to the Pope for support, as Roman Catholicism is the largest Christian denomination in the country. Pope Francis suggested that Slovenians ‘back the family as the structural reference point for the life of society’.
The more liberal left refuse to accept it’s all over - United Left MP Violeta Tomic told the BBC that: ‘It's not over yet. Sooner or later the law will be accepted’.
Slovenia is considered to be among the more liberal former communist countries but gay rights remain a contentious issue there. As part of Yugoslavia under Josep Tito, Slovenia decriminalised homosexuality well ahead of its neighbours. However, the trend seems to be that Eastern and Central Europe lag behind their more liberal Western European when it comes to matters of sexual freedom.
