The ECHR ruled that Romania had failed to enforce the rights of same-sex couples by refusing to recognise their relationships, in a ruling which will eventually force policymakers to expand protections for the LGBT community.

In late November, leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said doing so was not among his top priorities as Romania’s society was not ready to recognise same-sex families.

The head of the ruling coalition centre-right Liberal Party and senate speaker Nicolae Ciuca said his party supported “traditional families”.

“All families deserve recognition and legal protection,” said a petition signed by 35 rights groups.

“The Romanian state, through the government and parliament, must offer solutions for concrete life situations for all of its citizens.”

The petition, initiated by LGBT rights group Accept, urged policymakers to change legislation to enable same sex-marriages, recognise such marriages conducted abroad, and to approve civil unions.

Romania decriminalised homosexuality in 2001, decades later than other parts of the European Union, but still bars marriage and civil partnerships for same-sex couples.

Seven legislative proposals to change civil unions to include same-sex couples have either been rejected or have not yet made it through parliamentary approval committees.

Romania holds local, European, general, and presidential elections in 2024.

A survey commissioned by Accept in 2021 showed 71% of Romanians said legal recognition of civil marriage for same-sex couples would not have any impact on their lives.

The ECHR ruled today that Poland had violated the right to respect for a private life by failing to offer legal recognition for same-sex couples.