Swiss Voters Back Stem-Cell Research

In the first national referendum on an issue that has divided both the European Union and the United States, Swiss voters have backed proposals to allow stem-cell research.

More than 66 percent of 1.15 million Swiss who voted Saturday supported a law on stem-cell research passed by parliament in 2003 permitting research on surplus human embryos, while 585,000 voters or 33.6 percent were opposed to it.

After the law was passed, politicians from across the spectrum called for a referendum and urged Switzerland's 4.7 million voters to repeal it under Switzerland's system of direct democracy.

Turnout in the referendum was low, at 35.7 percent, and well short of the average 40 percent participation in Swiss national ballots. Political scientists said voters probably stayed at home because the issue was too complex and had no clear political dimension.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/28/international/europe/28cnd-swiss.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4049141.stm

Are you as embarrassed as I am?

while the USA takes 3 steps back! It's humiliating.