Over 30,000 people flooded the streets of Romania’s capital on Saturday for Bucharest Pride 2025, marking two decades since the country’s first LGBTQ+ march. The anniversary edition, organized by the ACCEPT Association, was a powerful mix of celebration and civil rights advocacy, making it Romania’s largest civic march of the year.
The parade began in front of the Government building, continued along Calea Victoriei and culminated in a lively concert and gathering at Parcul Izvor, in front of the Parliament palacem drawing participants from across the country and abroad.
Romania’s LGBTQ+ movement has come a long way since the first Pride in 2005, when only a few hundred marched amidst fierce opposition. In 2025, the community celebrated “20 Years of Pride” under the theme of visibility, unity, and the ongoing fight for equality.
This is not just a celebration, it’s a reminder that our rights are still not guaranteed, said Florin Buhuceanu of ACCEPT. We march for love, for recognition, and for legal protection.
The month-long celebration leading up to the parade featured over 40 events, including LGBTQ+ film screenings, art exhibitions highlighting queer Romanian voices, public debates on civil unions and legal protections, gender identity workshops and educational forums.
Ongoing legal challenges and public support
Despite the celebratory tone, activists used the event to highlight Romania’s lagging LGBTQ+ rights, including the lack of recognition for same-sex couples. In 2023, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Romania must legally acknowledge same-sex partnerships, but implementation remains stalled.
However, public opinion is shifting. A recent survey commissioned by ACCEPT shows that 56% of Romanians support legal protections for same-sex families, a significant rise in acceptance over the past decade.
Notably, 24 foreign embassies, including those of the United States, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, publicly endorsed the event, flying rainbow flags and issuing joint statements supporting LGBTQ+ rights in Romania.
