Court: Romania’s constitution can be changed on marriage law

BUCHAREST, Romania – Romania’s constitutional Court on Wednesday ruled that a request from an anti-gay group to change the constitution to state that marriage is a union between a man and a woman is constitutional.

The court’s ruling paves the way for Romania’s Parliament to vote to change the constitution, last revised in 2003, which now says marriage is between “partners” without specifying gender. Any change would need to be approved by two-thirds of lawmakers.

Gay rights groups protested the ruling, and dozens later protested in downtown Bucharest.

Protesters held banners saying “Love above Dogma” and “Love is not a sin” printed on a background of rainbow hearts and shouted “Equal rights.”

Police later took the personal details of people taking part in the rally and journalists, because the rally wasn’t authorized by city hall.

MozaiQ, which supports gay rights, said the court ruling will “restrict the definition of the family to the nuclear one and outlaws any possibility of legalizing marriage between people of the same sex.”

Homosexuality in Romania was decriminalized in 2001. Romania doesn’t recognize same-sex marriage.