Romania: First openly gay candidate runs for parliament

After hard-right candidate Calin Georgescu emerged victorious in the first round of the presidential election last weekend, Romania is set to elect a new parliament on Sunday. Florin Buhuceanu has become the first openly gay individual to contest an election in Romania, according to ‘DW’.

Florin Buhuceanu, a dedicated advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, is breaking new ground as Romania’s inaugural openly gay political candidate, vying for a parliamentary seat in a country that remains predominantly conservative and Christian Orthodox, where LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face discrimination.

This very discrimination motivated Buhuceanu to enter politics and pursue a parliamentary role.

In 2019, Buhuceanu and his partner, alongside 20 other couples, brought a case against Romania to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) due to the country's refusal to formally recognise their relationships.

In May 2023, the ECHR concluded that Romania was in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights by failing to recognise such relationships, emphasising that Romania is obligated to acknowledge and protect same-sex unions. Despite this, no changes have been implemented thus far.