Ireland abortion referendum

The answer is complicated: The fate of Northern Ireland's own ban hinges not just on the opinions of its residents but on the broader political scene in the U.K.

The country has some of the strictest laws on abortion in the developed world. But that will change, after 66.4 percent of voters chose to repeal a constitutional amendment.

Surveys by Irish broadcaster RTE and The Irish Times indicate that nearly 70 percent of voters want to do away with a constitutional amendment that recognizes the "right to life of the unborn."