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Croatia voters back same-sex marriage ban

Summary

2 December 2013

Croatian voters have backed proposals to ban same-sex marriages in a referendum. Two-thirds of those who voted approved proposals to change Croatia's constitution to define marriage as 'a union between a man and a woman'. 

Reporter:

Guy Delauney

Report

Government proposals to formalise rights for same-sex couples prompted the petition. Around three-quarters of a million people signed it - out of a total population of just over 4 million. The Catholic Church is a key part of Croat identity - and many people are socially conservative. 

The referendum is an enormous embarrassment for Croatia's government. It tried - and failed - to block the vote through the courts.

Success is a relative concept. Croatia appeared to be moving in a different direction to other western Balkan countries when it joined the EU in July. Now, like its neighbours, Serbia and Montenegro, it has a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.