Leo van Doesburg

In spite of pressure, mass demonstrations to preserve marriage are continuing. A new massive demonstration took place on Sunday in Paris, France, against the legislative proposal to legalize marriage and adoption for same-sex couples. While official police statements spoke of an estimated 300,000 protesters, the organizers said that some 1.4 million people took part in the demonstration. Even though the media try to frame the demonstrations in negative ways and the police (under the French Ministry of Internal Affairs) tries to forge the real number of protestors, the French people are determined that the institute of marriage and the children’s rights need to remain protected. (Article by Leo van Doesburg and Jonathan van Tongeren) Please find an analysis about the pressures here :

On 25 March 2012, Slovenia held a post-legislative referendum on the new Family Code that was adopted in the Slovenian parliament in June 2011. In a popular vote, 55% of voters rejected the new Family Code and 45% supported the law. Turnout was 30% on a sunny Sunday. The new Family Code had 309 articles and addresses many issues, but despite intense negotiations over the past two and a half years continued to include serious threats to the family and rights of children.