Romanian MPs decide on project to change family definition in Constitution

Romanian MPs discussed yesterday the project on modifying an article in Romania’s Constitution that defines family. The family is currently defined in Romania’s Constitution as the marriage between two spouses. However, the initiative’s promoters want to amend it, so that it mentions that a family is the union between a man and a woman. The measure thus aims to ban same-sex marriages. The MPs haven’t approved any amendments to the project, which will reach the Parliament Plenary in its initial form today, reports local Digi24. The liberal MP Gabriel Andronache tried to introduce an amendment that would have stated that a family can exist outside marriage, referring to single mothers, for example, who raise their kids. Andronache explained that the new definition would leave these families outside the Constitution's protection. However, the amendment didn’t get enough support among the MPs. The citizenship initiative, organized by the Coalition for Family group of NGOs, with the support of the Orthodox Church and other churches, gathered three million signatures to change the Constitution’s definition of family. Although same-sex marriages are not possible or recognized in Romania, the Coalition for Family fears that the current article of the Constitution could be interpreted in favor of gay couples. editor@romania-insider.com