| Church and state in Italy |
| International Herald Tribune |
The failed referendum to ease Italy's restrictive assisted-fertility law was the first test of the new pope's willingness to inject himself into politics, and the results were discouraging. Italian law, which defines every union of egg and sperm as the beginning of a human life, places severe limits on the creation and use of embryos, not only in the field of stem cell research but also in standard treatments for infertile couples. Heeding a call from the Italian bishops' conference, supported by Pope Benedict XVI, enough voters boycotted the referendum to render it invalid. The Catholic Church has every right to create its own doctrine on such issues for the faithful, to enforce them within the church, and to make its views public. But using the power of the pulpit to urge people to stay away from the ballot box is not a religious act, but an antidemocratic one. It is unacceptable interference.
The vote was the first major test of the power of the church in Italy since the election of the conservative Benedict XVI, and it raised fears that the Holy See would next turn its sights on abortion and divorce. Certainly the stunning success of the church in keeping the turnout for the referendum down to a dismal 25.9 percent demonstrated that however empty Italy's churches might be, the church has a considerable influence on moral issues. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his conservative government largely stayed on the sidelines, and even some opposition politicians, such as Francesco Rutelli, Berlusconi's unsuccessful challenger in 2001, found it politically expedient not to cast a ballot.
The Italian debate echoed many of the impassioned political conflicts that have divided American society under the broad umbrella of "moral values," threatening many social achievements and eroding the barriers between church and state. We welcome an open and ardent debate on these issues. But the separation of church and state is a vital part of a real democracy. Democracy guarantees the right of every religion to preach its values and beliefs. It does not grant churches the right to dangerously tamper with democracy to impose their rules on everyone else.
http://www.iht.com/bin/print_ipub.php?file=/articles/2005/06/15/news/editaly.php
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