Ireland has begun counting votes after a double referendum on proposals to modernise constitutional references to the makeup of a family and women’s “life within the home”.
The votes, which took place on International Women’s Day, are the latest attempt to reflect the changing face of Ireland and the waning influence of the once-dominant Catholic church.
Turnout was mixed when polls closed at 10pm on Friday, and reached 50% in some parts of the country but less than 30% elsewhere, according to the local broadcaster RTÉ.
All the major political parties support a “Yes-Yes” vote and until recently polls predicted a smooth passage for both.
Results in both votes are expected by late Saturday. Nearly 3.5 million people were eligible to cast their ballot.
The prime minister, Leo Varadkar, who leads the coalition that proposed the questions, acknowledged this week that the results were “in the balance”.
After casting his vote in Dublin, he urged people to vote “yes” to both questions because “all families are equal” and “family carers should be recognised in our constitution”.
The two proposals – called the family amendment and the care amendment – would make changes to the text of article 41 in the Irish constitution, written in 1937.
The first asks citizens to expand the definition of family from those founded on marriage to also include “durable relationships”, such as cohabiting couples and their children.
The second proposes replacing dated language surrounding a mother’s “duties in the home” with a clause recognising care provided by family members to one another.
Ireland opted to end constitutional limits on same-sex marriage in 2015 and abortion in 2018.
In addition to the governing coalition and the main opposition party, Sinn Féin, women’s rights and family carer groups also urged citizens to “vote for equality”.
“We see these changes as small steps forward and therefore on balance have advocated a ‘yes’ vote,” said Mary Lou McDonald, the leader of Sinn Féin, on Thursday.
But “no” campaigners argued that the concept of a “durable relationship” is undefined and confusing and that women and mothers are being “cancelled” from the constitution.
Ultra-conservative voices have argued that the changes could constitutionally protect polygamous relationships and increase immigration via migrant family reunions – claims that the government has denied.