The curious story of the 2018 Romanian traditional family referendum: buck-passing and the failure to mobilise voters
In 2018, a referendum to revise the Constitution took place in Romania. Just one article was in contention for revision. The goal was to make gay marriage unconstitutional. In the end, the referendum failed due to a low turnout of just 21.1%, below the 30% threshold required for validation. This pap...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Expert Projects
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Sociologie Românească |
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| Online Access: | http://revistasociologieromaneasca.ro/sr/article/view/1689 |
| _version_ | 1819058594693251072 |
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| author | Iulian Stănescu |
| author_facet | Iulian Stănescu |
| author_sort | Iulian Stănescu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In 2018, a referendum to revise the Constitution took place in Romania. Just one article was in contention for revision. The goal was to make gay marriage unconstitutional. In the end, the referendum failed due to a low turnout of just 21.1%, below the 30% threshold required for validation. This paper looks into the causes of the low turnout. First, there is an overview of knowns and unknowns, such as lack of exit poll data and issues with the voting population numbers. The bulk of the paper deals with two overlapping narratives about the causes of low turnout - first, a boycott campaign and second, a combination of factors, especially low mobilisation. Using precinct level results, supplemented by pre and post referendum polling data, an examination of evidence for both narratives is put forward. The results provide a case for failure of mobilisation by main political parties and religious organisations, especially the Orthodox Church, despite public statements of support for a “Yes” vote in the referendum. In turn, this was based on a buck-passing strategy by political parties and religious organisations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T13:57:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a581c5f466624e0393c705216d28946c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1220-5389 2668-1455 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T13:57:41Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | Expert Projects |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sociologie Românească |
| spelling | doaj.art-a581c5f466624e0393c705216d28946c2022-12-21T19:01:28ZengExpert ProjectsSociologie Românească1220-53892668-14552020-11-0118210.33788/sr.18.2.3The curious story of the 2018 Romanian traditional family referendum: buck-passing and the failure to mobilise votersIulian Stănescu0Research Institute for Quality of Life, Romanian AcademyIn 2018, a referendum to revise the Constitution took place in Romania. Just one article was in contention for revision. The goal was to make gay marriage unconstitutional. In the end, the referendum failed due to a low turnout of just 21.1%, below the 30% threshold required for validation. This paper looks into the causes of the low turnout. First, there is an overview of knowns and unknowns, such as lack of exit poll data and issues with the voting population numbers. The bulk of the paper deals with two overlapping narratives about the causes of low turnout - first, a boycott campaign and second, a combination of factors, especially low mobilisation. Using precinct level results, supplemented by pre and post referendum polling data, an examination of evidence for both narratives is put forward. The results provide a case for failure of mobilisation by main political parties and religious organisations, especially the Orthodox Church, despite public statements of support for a “Yes” vote in the referendum. In turn, this was based on a buck-passing strategy by political parties and religious organisations.http://revistasociologieromaneasca.ro/sr/article/view/1689Romaniareligionsame sex marriagegay marriagereferendumpolitical parties |
| spellingShingle | Iulian Stănescu The curious story of the 2018 Romanian traditional family referendum: buck-passing and the failure to mobilise voters Sociologie Românească Romania religion same sex marriage gay marriage referendum political parties |
| title | The curious story of the 2018 Romanian traditional family referendum: buck-passing and the failure to mobilise voters |
| title_full | The curious story of the 2018 Romanian traditional family referendum: buck-passing and the failure to mobilise voters |
| title_fullStr | The curious story of the 2018 Romanian traditional family referendum: buck-passing and the failure to mobilise voters |
| title_full_unstemmed | The curious story of the 2018 Romanian traditional family referendum: buck-passing and the failure to mobilise voters |
| title_short | The curious story of the 2018 Romanian traditional family referendum: buck-passing and the failure to mobilise voters |
| title_sort | curious story of the 2018 romanian traditional family referendum buck passing and the failure to mobilise voters |
| topic | Romania religion same sex marriage gay marriage referendum political parties |
| url | http://revistasociologieromaneasca.ro/sr/article/view/1689 |
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