Tens of thousands Romanians participates in pride march demanding LGBTQ equal rights

(Forelines) – Following a fiercely disputed presidential election last month that bolstered the far right, tens of thousands of Romanians participated in an LGBTQ Pride march in Bucharest on Saturday, calling for equal rights and legislation pertaining to civil union partnerships, as per Reuters report.

According to Reuters, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2023 that Romania had failed to uphold couples of same-sex’ rights by rejecting to acknowledge their unions, a decision that the European Union state has so far disregarded.

Although Romania, a socially conservative country, decriminalized homosexuality in 2001—decades later than other EU countries—it still forbids same-sex marriage and civil unions.

“We want legal protection for same-sex couples, an easy legal procedure for transitioning, protection against hate speech and prejudice-based crimes,” as per Reuters, citing Teodora Roseti, president of Romanian LGBTQ rights organisation ACCEPT and Pride’s organiser.

Twenty years after the first Pride parade, participants in Bucharest danced and carried the rainbow flag while holding banners that said “Love is the worst feeling you could hate”, “Equality in love, equality in inheritance. Civil partnership for all,” as per the report.

Around 30,000 individuals joined the parade, ACCEPT calculated, added in a report.

The march takes place during a tense time when far-right parties have gained influence in Central and Eastern Europe. On Saturday, Poles staged a similar procession, as per Reuters.

Participants in a smaller anti-Pride demonstration hours before the Romanian march waved flags bearing the Celtic cross, a well-known far-right symbol, and called for an Orthodox Christian country, Reuters added in a report.

As per Reuters, the hard-right opposition leader George Simion, a fervent opponent of LGBTQ rights, lost the Romanian presidential election to centrist Nicusor Dan, the mayor of Bucharest

During the election campaign, ACCEPT and LGBTQ rights organization Mozaiq issued warnings about an increase in hate speech directed at the community, and their headquarters were vandalized, added in a report.

Earlier this year, the parliament of neighboring Hungary passed a law that effectively outlaws the holding of Pride marches, further added in a report.