Italians heed call to spurn fertility vote

ITALIANS appeared to have heeded the call of the Catholic Church yesterday as a referendum on controversial fertility laws failed to attract the required 50 per cent turnout.

When polls closed at the end of the two-day referendum, initial figures showed that less than 25 per cent of those eligible had cast their ballot.

The poll was called in an effort to gauge public reaction to the altering of what is seen as one of the toughest fertility laws in Europe.

The legislation introduced 16 months ago included a ban on all embryo research and the use of sperm or eggs from third-party donors.

Despite its tough restrictions, the Vatican has said the legislation fell short of Church doctrine and urged Catholics to boycott the vote.

Pope Benedict XVI led the calls to abstain.