Ireland Votes Whether to Repeal Abortion Ban as Catholic Influence Wanes

Polls show majority in favor of repeal, but many remain undecided

The people of Ireland on May 25 will vote in a referendum on whether to repeal its ban on abortion, one of the most bitterly contested battlegrounds in the country. For both sides, it's more than a debate about abortion rights—it's a battle over health care, human rights, identity and values. WSJ's Niki Blasina reports.
By

Irish voters are deciding Friday whether to remove a ban on abortion from the country’s constitution, a sweeping change that would further dilute church influence in a country steadily moving away from its Catholic roots.

Polls show a majority in favor of lifting the ban, with younger, urban Irish people more strongly in favor than older, rural voters. But many remain undecided and the referendum has been hotly debated, with dueling rallies and signs both for and against plastered around the country.

...