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Slovenia’s parliament had approved a law in July, allowing assisted dying after a 2024 referendum supported it.

Slovenians have rejected in a referendum a law that allowed terminally ill adults to end their lives, after critics mounted a campaign against the legislation.

About 53 percent of 1.7 million eligible voters voted against the law that proposed legalising assisted dying, according to preliminary results released by the election authorities on Sunday.

The results mean the law’s implementation will be suspended for at least one year. Slovenia’s parliament had approved the law in July, allowing assisted dying after a 2024 referendum supported it.

But the new vote was called after a civil group, backed by the Catholic Church and the conservative parliamentary opposition, gathered more than the 40,000 signatures required for a repeat.

Ales Primc, head of Voice for the Children and the Family, the NGO that organised the no vote campaign, reacted to the results, saying “solidarity and justice” had won.

“We are witnessing a miracle. The culture of life has defeated the cult of death,” Primc said after the vote.

Under the disputed law, terminally ill patients would have had the right to aid in dying if their suffering was unbearable and all treatment options had been exhausted.

It would also have allowed for assisted dying if treatment offers had no reasonable prospect of recovery or improvement in the patient’s condition, but not to end unbearable suffering from mental illness.

Prime Minister Robert Golob had urged citizens to back the law “so that each of us can decide for ourselves how and with what dignity we will end our lives”.

But the Catholic Church has said allowing assisted dying “contradicts the foundations of the Gospel, natural law and human dignity”.

In June 2024, 55 percent had backed the law.

Turnout at Sunday’s referendum was 40.9 percent – just enough for the no vote to meet the threshold.

Several European countries, including Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, allow terminally ill people to receive medical help to end their lives. However, it remains a crime in others, even in cases of severe suffering.

In May, France’s lower house of parliament approved a right-to-die bill in a first reading. The British parliament is debating similar legislation.

POP icon has posted a massive apology to fans after being forced to pull out of a show at the last minute.

The New Zealand singer, 29, shared a statement on Instagram on Sunday, explaining she had to cancel her scheduled appearance at Luxembourg’s Rockhal after falling sick.

She explained: “Luxembourg, I am so sorry to have to tell you that I came down with ruthless food poisoning last night, and I’m still too sick to play for you today.

“I’ve been resting all day, hoping I’d be well enough, but I can hardly stand up, and you deserve more.”

“My sincerest apologies to anyone inconvenienced or upset by this,” the singer continued. “I can’t tell you how much I was looking forward to it. Our first ever Lux show, first night at Ultrasound EU, our one show with OK Lou, it’s beyond gutting.”

“Please know that if there was any way I could pull it off, I’d be out there. We are actively working with the promoter on rescheduling, so hold on to your tickets for now.

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“Refunds will be offered if the new date’s no good for you. Thank you for your grace tonight. Love, from a very weak girl.”

The tour cancellation comes as Lorde – real name Ella Yelich-O’Connor – kicks off the European leg of her Ultrasound World Tour.

She is scheduled to appear in Paris, France, tonight as scheduled, before making her way over to the UK and Ireland.

The upsetting cancellation comes after Lorde made her triumphant return to music this year by dropping her fourth album, Virgin, back in July.

It was her first release since 2021’s critically acclaimed Solar Power.

Her new release, led by single What Was That?, was so highly anticipated that a surprise set at Glastonbury caused an entire area of Worthy Farm to be shut down as fans dashed to see her at the Woodsies tent.

The album later shot to the top of the album charts, with What Was That peaking at number 11.

She’s also since noted she doesn’t intend to take such a big break again from making music.

The star, who first shot to fame with smash hit Royals at the age of 16, told Variety: “I’m definitely feeling very active and not needing a break from being creative. I’m feeling kind of insatiable, to be honest.

“So I don’t know, but I’ve thrown the gauntlet down that it’s not going to be four years [again], so I’ve gotta keep to that.”