A clear message from Croatia ” “

Yesterday Croatia held a referendum on the introduction in the Constitution of the definition of marriage as the union between a man and a woman. The results are crystal clear: 65.8 % of those who voted endorse marriage between a man and a woman and call for the constitutional protection of that definition.Only 33.5% of those who went to the polls voted against. Some media channels tried to suggest that it was a ‘no’-vote to marriage between persons of the same sex: an attempt to spark off controversies, confrontation and diminish the importance of the result.It was not a matter of deciding ‘against’, but rather to express oneself in favour of “the beauty of the family and marriage”. Such decision underlined “the institutions’ response to the needs of the heart and of the dignity of the human person”. In fact, the question of the referendum was: “Do you support the introduction in the Constitution of the definition of marriage as a life-long union between a man and a woman?” Not only does this definition correspond to the nature of man, it is also an integrating part of European culture, as well as the very foundation of Europe’s legal system, enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights.But lately, the institution of marriage in Europe had been the object of constant, violent attacks.”This referendum – states the letter sent by the Justice and Peace Commission in Croatia – was planned in order to prevent erroneous modifications in the institution of marriage, which are possible with the political tyranny of Parliamentary majority, regardless of popular will, as shown in the case of France.The success of this referendum will ensure that the institution of marriage understood as the union of a man and of a woman, which represents in itself a legal foundation for the marriage institution, will further strengthen that very community that is the ideal environment for every child – the community of responsible love of a mother and a father”.The success of the referendum shows that in the confrontation with gender ideology, prevailing in contemporary political elites, citizens still have a chance to win. In this case, it is enough to believe in personal strength and in the beauty of marriage and the family.