Tens of thousands of Romanians participated in an LGBTQ+ Pride march in the capital city, Bucharest, on Saturday, calling for the legalisation of civil union partnerships and equal rights. The rally comes in the wake of a closely contested presidential election last month, which gave a significant boost to far-right political forces, raising concerns among human rights advocates and the LGBTQ+ community.
The European Union state has so far ignored a 2023 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, which found Romania had failed to enforce the rights of same-sex couples by refusing to recognise their relationships.
Socially conservative Romania decriminalised homosexuality in 2001, decades later than other parts of the EU, but still bars marriage and civil partnerships for same-sex couples.
Demanding Legal Protection For Same-Sex Couples
“We want legal protection for same-sex couples, an easy legal procedure for transitioning, protection against hate speech and prejudice-based crimes,” said Teodora Roseti, president of Romanian LGBTQ rights organisation ACCEPT and Pride’s organiser.
In Bucharest, marchers danced and carried the rainbow flag 20 years after the first Pride parade was held, carrying banners such as “Love is the worst feeling you could hate”, “Equality in love, equality in inheritance. Civil partnership for all”.
Roughly 30,000 people attended the parade, ACCEPT estimated.
Rise Of Far Right In EU
The march comes at a fraught moment in Central and Eastern Europe, where far right parties have gained ground. Poles held a similar parade on Saturday.
Hours before the Romanian march, a smaller anti-Pride protest took place, with participants demanding an Orthodox Christian nation and waving flags carrying the Celtic cross, a known far-right symbol.
In Romania, centrist Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan ultimately won the presidential election against hard-right opposition leader George Simion, a strong opponent of LGBTQ rights.
ACCEPT and LGBTQ rights group Mozaiq warned of a rise in hate speech against the community during the election campaign, and their headquarters were defaced.
In neighbouring Hungary, parliament passed legislation earlier this year that de facto bans holding Pride marches.
(With inputs from Reuters)
