Romanian MPs have made one more step towards the referendum on changing the definition of family in Romania’s Constitution after social democrat leader Liviu Dragnea announced that the poll might be organized this fall.

The Chamber of Deputies adopted on Tuesday, September 5, the draft amending the Referendum Law, which stipulates that a referendum must be held within 30 days from the moment the draft for revising the Constitution is adopted by the Parliament, reports local Mediafax. The Chamber of Deputies has the final say in this case.

Dragnea, the head of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and president of the Chamber of Deputies, said on Tuesday that he wants the decision on amending the family definition in the Constitution to be taken by the Romanians, not by somebody else. He also expressed his hope that the President would not delay the procedure.

When asked to respond to those who say that Romania will take many steps back through this referendum and will send a negative signal in the European Union, Dragnea said: “I am interested in giving a very serious signal inside the country because I am still Romanian, I will remain Romanian, I am interested in this decision being taken by Romanians, not by somebody else.”

The PSD leader also said that he would vote in the referendum.

The Chamber of Deputies adopted in May the citizens’ initiative that aims to change the definition of family in Romania’s Constitution. The Coalition for Family gathered three million signatures in support of this initiative last year. The Orthodox Church has also supported this project.

At present, the Romanian Constitution defines the family as the free-willed marriage “between 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 would thus make same-sex marriages impossible in Romania.

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com