Yesterday in Ireland, a controversial "Repeal the Eight Amendment" referendum took place. This amendment to the Irish constitution equated the value of the life of mother and fetus and limited abortion to situations where mother's life is in immediate danger (although, as the practice has shown, particularly in the case of Savita Halappanavar, this law was often dead). The Eighth Amendment was adopted 35 years ago by a referendum, in which it was supported by 66.9% of votes. Yesterday, also in a referendum, by an almost identical margin (66.3% for yes) it was repealed. Only the people of Donegal, by a small majority, rejected the proposed repealing. In the rest of the constitutencies, the supporters of the change won, with the highest support in Dublin Bay South (78.5%).
