A referendum intended to dismantle Italy's strict law on assisted fertility was doomed to fail today due to low turnout, in what was widely seen as a victory for the Roman Catholic Church.
About 25 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot during the two days of voting that ended this afternoon, according to partial results -leaving the referendum far short of the quorum of 50 per cent plus one.
Bishops had urged a boycott of the poll and priests had used pulpits to rally the faithful behind the slogan: "Life cannot be put to a vote: Don't vote".
"The Italian people who know how to defend life have won," said Maria Burani Procaccini, a lawmaker from the centre-right, thanking the Church for "acting with conviction and force".
The new law, passed last year, is the most conservative in Europe. It bans egg and sperm donations as well as embryo research and freezing, and allows only three eggs at a time to be fertilised in the test tube.
The vote was seen as a test of the Church's influence in Italy at a time when it is losing clout in developed countries.
In his first foray into Italian politics since he was elected in April, Pope Benedict threw his support behind bishops leading the campaign for a boycott, calling them "truly good pastors" who wanted to "enlighten the choices of Catholics".
"Church exultant: goal achieved," Il Messaggero daily said on its front page after the first day of voting showed the referendum was set to fail.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose government drew up the law, also avoided possible embarrassment, even though the bill cut across Italy's traditional political alliances. Those who did actually make it to polling stations predictably voted overwhelmingly to dismantle the law. According to partial results, between 75 and 89 per cent voted "Yes" on the four sections.
The law was a response to what many saw as a medical 'Wild West', where a 62-year-old woman had become a mother and cloning seemed around the corner.
Many say the law legalising abortion law may now come under pressure, since it is at odds with provisions of the fertility legislation that recognise the legal rights of embryos.
"Attention will now turn to abortion," said Equal Opportunities Minister Stefania Prestigiacomo.
"The inconsistencies between the two laws (on reproduction and on abortion) are enormous. I expect in the short-to-medium term someone will take the initiative."
-PA