"Ireland's Referendum on 'Women in the Home' Sparks Controversy and Potential Defeat"

The Irish government is likely to lose two referenda aimed at updating "sexist" language in the constitution, with low voter turnout reported. The proposed changes sought to replace references to the family being "founded" on marriage and a woman's support of the state "within the home." Prime Minister Leo Varadkar championed the vote as an opportunity to modernize outdated language about women, but religious and socially conservative groups campaigned against the changes. If passed, the constitution would state that the family is based "on marriage or on other durable relationships." Ireland has seen a series of progressive changes to its constitution through referendums in recent years, including legalizing same-sex marriage and ending an abortion ban.