Ireland votes overwhelmingly to relax divorce law provision similar to Malta's

Ireland has voted by an overwhelming majority to relax its constitutional restriction on divorce,the latest in a series of reforms to modernise the charter of the once-devoutly Catholic nation.

Some 82 percent of voters cast their ballots in favour of removing a provision, which also exists in Maltese divorce law, requiring couples to live separately for four out of the previous five years before dissolving their marriage.

The Irish government has signalled it will bring forward new legislation shortening the requirement to two out of the prior three years.

At present Irish divorce law is regarded as among the most restrictive in Europe.

It is thought to be responsible for the republic having the lowest separation rate of any EU member state, according to 2015 figures from the country's Central Statistics Office.

The outcome of the referendum will also see Irish lawmakers granted powers to recognise foreign divorces once it is signed into law by the president.

The mandated separation period was a hangover condition from the 1995 referendum which granted Irish couples the right to divorce by a slim majority of 50.3 percent.

Campaigners said it placed an unfair emotional and...