The two-day referendum, which cost $51 million, aimed to change the constitution to define marriage as strictly between a man and a woman from the current gender-neutral "spouses." Religiously conservative Romania, which decriminalized homosexuality in 2001 decades after neighbouring countries, bars marriage and civil partnerships for same sex couples. "We believe politicians must now legalize civil partnerships for same sex couples," he said at a party to celebrate the outcome. Boycott encouragedDozens of human rights groups had said a successful referendum would embolden further attempts to chip away at the rights of minority groups and push Romania onto a populist, authoritarian track. Only about 20 per cent of eligible Romanians cast ballots in the referendum, after dozens of human rights groups encouraged a boycott of the vote.

Source: CBC News October 07, 2018 21:22 UTC