At least 30,000 people took part Saturday in the Bucharest Pride march, one of the largest LGBTQ+ rights demonstrations in the city’s history.
The march started in the the heart of the city in Piața Victoriei and participants then walked down Calea Victoriei, finishing with a massive outdoor concert and festival at Izvor Park.
The massive turnout emphasizes the push for visibility, legal recognition of same-sex partnerships, and basic protections against discrimination in Romania which only decriminalized homosexuality in 2000.
As usual, there were conservative and religious counter-demonstrations, dubbed the “March of Normality”), making the march a highly visible stand against growing extremist and far-right political rhetoric in the country.
In 2026 we are taking to the streets to demand protection and legal recognition granted equally to all families, including those made up of people of the same sex, through marriage and civil partnership, as well as simple procedures for legal gender recognition for transgender people.
“We demand access to medical services adapted to the specific needs of LGBTQIA+ people and increased protection against hate-motivated aggressions,” said Victor Ciobotaru, executive director of the ACCEPT Association.
VIDEO | Tens of thousands march in biggest ever pride parade in Romanian capital
